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THE 

m 

OF 

THE PIRATES, 

CONTAINING 

THE lilVES 

OP 

THOSE NOTED PIRATE CAPTAINS, 

MISSON, BOWEN, KIDD, TEW, HALSEY, WHITE, CONDENT, 

BELLAMY, FLY, HOWARD, LEWIS, CORNELIUS, 

WILLIAMS, BURGESS, NORTH, 

AND THEIR S23VERAL CB.EWS. 

ALSO, 

IN ACCOUNT OF THE PIRACIES AND CRUELTIES 

OF 
AUGUR, WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM, DENNIS MAOKARTHY, 
T LLIAM DOWLING, WILLIAM LEWIS, THOMAS MORRIS, 
GEORGE BENDALL, AND WILLIAM LING, 

WHO WERE TRIED, CONDEMNED, AND EXECUTED 

AT NASSAU, NEW PROVIDENCE, 

ON THE 

TENTH OF DECEMBER, 1718. 

TO WHICH IS ADDED, 

A CORRECT ACCOUNT OF THE 

I.ATE PIRACIES 

COMMITTED IN THE WEST INDIES} 

AND THE 

EXPEDITION OF COMMODORE PORTER. 



Orane tulit punctum, ;ui miscuit utile dulci.— Hot. 

HARTFORD : 

PUBLISHED BY HENRY BENTON. 

'329, 



District of Massachusetts .....To wit : — 

DISTRICT CLERK'S OfFICE. 

Be it REME3IEERED, That on the eighteenth day of June, A. D. 
1825 in the forty-ninth year of the independence of the United States 
of America, Thomas Carey of the said district, has deposited in this 
office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, m 
the words following, to wit :— 

" The History of the Pirates, contaimng the Lives ot those noted 
Pirate Captains, Misson, Bowen, Kidd, Tew, Halsey, White, Con- 
dent, Bellamy, Fly, Howard, Lewis, Cornelius, Williams, Burgess, 
North, and their several Crews. Also, an Account of the Piracies 
and Cruelties of John Augur, William Cunningham, Dennis Mackas- 
thv, William Dowling, William Lewis, Thomas Morris, George Ben- 
dall, and William Ling, who were tried, condemned, and executed at 
Nassau, New Providence, on the 10th of December, 1718. To which is 
added, a correct account of the late Piracies committed in the West 
Indies; and the expedition of Commodore Porter, Omne tulit pune- 
tum, qui miscuit utile dulci. Hor." 

In conformity to the Act of the congress of the United States, en- 
titled " An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the 
copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors c£ 
such copies, during the times therein mentioned:" and also to an Act, 
entitled, " An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled, An Act for the 
encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, 
and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the 
times therein mentioned ; and extending the benefits thereof to the 
arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." 

™^ «r nAvro I Clerk of the District 
JNO. W. DAVIS, ^ ofj^ ssachuset ^ 



THE 

HISTORY 



OP 



CAPTAIN MIS SON. 



CAPTAIN MISSON was bora in Provence, of 
&n ancient family. His father was master of a plen- 
tiful fortune ; but having a great number of chil- 
dren, our rover had but little hopes of other fortune 
than what he could carve out for himself with his 
sword. His parents took care to give him an edu- 
cation equal to his birth, and upon the complet 
of it, would have put him into the musketeers ; but 
as he was of a roving temper, and much affec 
with the accounts he had read in books of trav 
he chose the sea as a life which abounds with more 
variety, and would afford him an opportunity to gra- 
tify his curiosity, by the change of countries. Hav- 
ing made this choice, his father, with letters 
recommendation, and every- thing fitting for him, 
sent him volunteer on board the Victoire, command- 
ed by Monsieur Fourbin, hisrelation. He was re- 
ceived on board with all possible regard by the 
Captain, whose ship was at Marseilles, a.nd was 
ordered to cruise soon after Misson's arrival. No- 
thing could be more agreeable to the inclinations of 
our volunteer than this cruise, which made him 

1* 



b CAPTAIN MISSON. 

acquainted with the most noted ports of the Mediter- 
ranean, and gave him a great insight into the prac- 
tical part of navigation. He grew fond of this life, 
and was resolved to be a complete sailor, which 
made him always one of the first on a yard arm, 
either to hand or reef, and very inquisitive in the 
different methods of working a ship : his discourse 
was turned on no other subject, and he would often 
get the boatswain and carpenter to teach him in 
their cabins the constituent parts of a ship's hull, 
and how to rig her, which he generously paid them 
for ; and though he spent a great part of his time 
with these two officers, yet he behaved himself with 
such prudence that they never attempted any fami- 
liarity, and always paid the respect due to his family. 
The ship being at Naples, he obtained leave of his 
captain to go to Rome, which he had a great desire 
to visit. Hence we may date his misfortunes ; for, 
remarking the licentious lives of the clergy, (so dif- 
ferent from the regularity observed among the 
French ecclesiastics,) the luxury of the Papal Court, 
and that nothing but hulls of religion were to be 
found in the metropolis of the christian church, he 
began to figure to himself that all religion w r as no 
more than a curb upon the minds of the weaker, 
which the wiser sort yielded to, in appearance only. 
These sentiments, so disadvantageous to religion 
and himself, were strongly riveted by accidentally 
becoming acquainted with a lewd priest, who was at 
his arrival (by mere chance) his confessor, and after 
that his procurer jtnd companion, for he kept him 
company to his death. 

Misson at length became so much attached to 
this man, that he advised him to go with him as vo- 
lunteer, and offered him money to clothe him : the 
priest leaped at the proposal, and a letter coming to 
Misson from his captain, that he was going to Leg- 
horn, and left it to him either to come to Naples, or 



CAIPTAIN MISSON. / 

go by land ; he chose the latter, and the Dominican, 
whom he furnished with money, clothing himself 
very cavalierly, threw off his habit, and preceded 
him two days, staying at Pisa for Misson; from 
whence they went together to Leghorn, where they 
found the Victoire, and signior Caraccioli, recom- 
mended by his friend, was received on board. Twa 
days after they weighed from hence, and after a 
week's cruise fell in with two Sallee-men, the one 
of twenty, the other of twenty-four guns ; the Vic- 
toire had but thirty mounted, though she had ports 
for forty. The engagement was long and bloody, 
for the Sallee-men hoped to carry the Victoire; and, 
on the contrary, Capt. Fourbin, so far from having 
any thoughts of being taken, he was resolutely bent 
to make prize of his enemies, or sink his ship. One 
of the Sallee-men was commanded by a Spanish 
renegade, (though he had only the title of a lieuten- 
ant) for the captain was a young man who knew 
little of marine affairs. . 

This ship was called the Lion; and he attempted, 
more than once, to board the Victoire ; but by a 
shot betwixt wind and water, he was obliged to 
sheer off, and running his guns, &c. on one side, to 
bring her on the careen to stop his leak; this being 
done with too much precipitation, she overset, aud 
every soul was lost. His comrade, seeing this dis- 
aster, threw out ail his small sails, endeavoured to 
get off, but the Victoire wronged her, and obliged 
her to renew the fight, which she did with great ob- 
stinacy, and made Monsieur Fourbin despair of car- 
rying her if he did not board ; he made preparations 
accordingly. Signior Caraccioli and Misson were 
the two first on board when the command was 
given ; hut they and their followers were beat back 
by the despair of the Sallee-men ; the former re- 
ceived a shot in his thigh, and was carried down to 
the surgeon. The Victoire laid her on board the 



8 CAPTAIN MlSSOtf. 

second time, and the Sallee-men defended their 
decks with such resolution, that they were covered 
with their own, and the dead bodies of their ene- 
mies. Misson seeing one of them jump down the 
main hatch with a lighted match, suspecting his 
design, resolutely leaped after him, and reaching 
him with his sabre, laid him dead' the moment he 
was going to set fire to the powder. The Victoire 
pouring in more men, the Mahometans quitted the 
decks, finding resistance vain, and fled for shelter 
to the cook-room, steerage, and cabins, and some 
ran between decks. The French gave them quar- 
ters, and put the prisoners on board the Victoire, 
the prize yielding nothing worth mention, except 
liberty to about fifteen christian slaves; she was 
carried into and sold with the prisoners at Leghorn. 
The Turks lost a great many men ; the French not 
less than 35 In boarding, for they lost' very few by 
the great shot, the Sallee-men firing mostly at the 
masts and rigging, hoping by disabling to* carry 
her. The limited time of their cruise being out, the 
Victoire returned to Marseilles, from whence Misson, 
taking his companion, went to visit his parents, to 
whom the captain sent a very advantageous cha- 
racter, both of his courage and conduct. He was 
about a month at home when his captain wrote to 
him, that his ship was ordered to Rochelle, from 
whence he was to sail for the West Indies with some 
merchantmen. This was very agreeable to Misson 
and signior Caraccioli, who immediately set out for 
Marseilles. -This town is well fortified, has four 
parish churches, and the number of inhabitants is 
computed to be about 120,000; the harbour is es- 
teemed the safest in the Mediterranean, and is the 
common station for the French gallies. 

Leaving this place, they steered for Rochelle, 
where the Victoire was docked, the merchant ships 
not being near ready. Misson, who did not care to 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 9 

pass so long a time in idleness, proposed to his com- 
rade the taking a cruise on board the Triumph, 
which was going into the English channel; and the 
Italian readily consented to it. 

Between the Isle of Guernsey and the Start 
Point, they met with the Mayflower, Capt. Balladine, 
commander, a merchant ship of 18 guns, richly 
laden, and coming from Jamaica. The captain of 
the English made a gallant resistance, and fought 
his ship so long, that the French could not carry her 
into harbour, wherefore they took the money, and 
what was most valuable, out of her; and finding 
she made more water than the pumps could free, 
quitted, and saw her go down in less than four hours 
after. Monsieur Le Blanc, the, French captain, re- 
ceived Capt. Balladine very civilly, and would not 
suffer either him or his men to be stripped, saying, 
jsfone but cowards ought to be treated after that 
manner; that brave men ought to treat such, though 
their enemies, as brothers ; and that to use a gal- 
lant* man (who does his duty) ill, speaks a revenge 

, which cannot proceed but from a coward soul. He 
ordered that the prisoners should have their chests ; 
and when some of his men seemed to mutter, he 
bade them remember the grandeur of the monarch 

4hey served ; that they were neither pirates nor 
privateers ; and as brave men, they ought to show 
their enemies an example they would willingly have 
followed, and use their prisoners as they wished to 
be used. 

They then run up the English channel as high as 
Beachy Head, and, in returning, fell in with three 
fifty gun ships; which gave chase to the Triumph; 
but as she was an excellent sailer, she run them 
out of sight in seven glasses, and made the best of 
her way for the ' Land's-End. They here cruised 
eight days, then doubling Cape Cornwall, ran up 
the Bristol channel, near as far as Nash Pointy and 



10 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

intercepted a small ship from Barbadoes, and 
stretching away to the northward, gave chase to a 
ship they saw in the evening, but lost her in the 
night. The. Triumph then stood towards Milford, 
and spying a sail, endeavoured to cut her off the 
land, but found it impossible ; for she got into the 
haven, though they came up with her very fast, and 
she had surely been taken had the chase been any 
thing longer. 

Capt. Balladine, who took the glass, said it was 
the Port Royal, a Bristol ship, which left Jamaica in 
company with him and the Charles. They now re- 
turned to their own coast, and sold their prize at 
Brest, where, at his desire, they left Capt. Balladine, 
and Monsieur Le Blanc made him a present of a 
purse with 40 louis for his support. His crew were 
also left here. 

At the entrance into this harbour the Triumph 
struck upon a rock, but received no damage. This 
entrance, called Gonlet, is very dangerous on ac- 
count of the number of rocks which lie on each side 
under water, though the harbour is certainly the best 
in France. The mouth of the harbour is defended by 
a strong castle ; the town is well fortified, and has a 
citadel for its farther defence, which is of considerable 
strength. In 1694 the English attempted a descent, 
but did not find their market, for they were beat off 
with the loss of their general, and a great many men. 
From hence the Triumph returned to Rochelle, and 
in a month after, our volunteers, who went on board 
the Victoire, took their departure for Martinico and 
Guadaloupe. They met with nothing in their voy- 
age thither worth noting. I shall only observe, that 
,&ignior Caraccioli, who was as ambitious as he was 
irreligious, had, by this time, made a perfect deist of 
Misson, and thereby convinced him, that all religion 
was no other than human policy. But his arguments 
on this head are too long, and too dangerous to 



CAPTAIN MISSON. II 

translate; and as they are worked up. with great 
subtlety, they may be pernicious to weak men, who 
cannot discover their fallacy ; or who, finding them 
agreeable to their inclinations, would be glad to 
shake off the yoke of the christian religion, which 
galls and curbs their passions, and would not give 
themselves the trouble to examine them to the bot- 
tom, but give it to what pleases, glad of finding some 
excuse to their consciences. 

As he had privately held these discourses among 
the crew, he had gained a number of proselytes, 
who looked upon him as a new prophet risen up to 
reform the abuses in religion; and a great number 
being Rochellers, and, as yet, tainted with Calvan- 
ism, his doctrine was the more readily embraced. 
When he had experienced the effects of his religious 
arguments, he fell upon government^ and showed, 
that every man was born free, and had as much right 
to what would support him, as to the air he respired. 
A contrary way of arguing would be accusing the 
deity with cruelty and injustice, for he brought into 
the world no man to pass a life of penury, and to 
miserably want a necessary support ; that the vast 
difference between man and man, one wallowing in 
luxury, and the other in the most pinching neces- 
sity, was owing only to avarice and ambition on the 
one hand, and a pusillanimous subjection on the 
other ; that at first no other than a natural was known, 
a paternal government, every father was the head, 
the prince and monarch of his family, and obedience 
to such was both just and easy, for a father had com- 
passionate tenderness for his children; but ambition 
creeping in by degrees, the stronger family set upon 
and enslaved the weaker ; and this additional strength 
over-run a third, by every conquest gathering force 
to make others, and this was the first foundation of 
monarchy. Pride increasing with power, man usurp- 
r ed the prerogative of God, over his creatures, that 



12 CAPTAIN MISSON. » 

of depriving them of life, which was a privilege no 
one had over his own; for as he did not come intp 
the world by his own election, he ought to stay the 
determined time of his creator; that indeed, death 
given in war, Avas by the law of nature allowable, 
because it is for the preservation of our own lives ; 
but no crime ought to be thus punished, nor indeed 
any war undertaken, but in defence of our natural 
right, which is such a share of earth as is necessary 
for our support. 

These topics he often declaimed on, and very often 
advised with Misson about the setting up for them- 
selves ; he was as ambitious as the other, and as 
resolute. Caraccioli and Misson were by this, expert 
mariners, and very capable of managing a ship; 
Caraccioli had sounded a great many of the men on 
this subject, and found them very inclinable to listen 
to him. An accident happened which gave Carac- 
cioli a fair opportunity to put his designs in execution, 
and he laid hold of it. .They went off Martinico on 
a cruise, and met with the Winchelsea, an English 
man of war of 40 guns, commanded by Capt. Jones ; 
they made for each other, and a very smart engage- 
ment followed ; the first broadside killed the captain, 
second captain, and the three lieutenants, on board 
the Victoire, and left only the master, who would 
have struck, but Misson took up the sword, ordered 
Caraccioli to act as lieutenant, and encouraging the 
men fought the ship six glasses, when by some acci- 
dent, the Winchelsea blew up, and not a man was 
saved but Lieut. Franklin, whom the French, boats 
took up, and he died in two days. None ever knew 
before this manuscript fell into my hands, how the 
vVinchelsea was lost; for her head being driven 
ishore at Antigua, and a great storm having hap- 
>ened a few days before it was found, it was con- 
cluded, that she foundered in that storm. After this 
?ngagement, Caraccioli came to Misson and saluted 



CAPTAIN MISSOX. IS 

him captain, and desired to know if he would choose 
a momentary or a lasting command, that he must 
now determine, for at his return to Martinico it would 
be too late ; and he might depend upon the ship he 
fought and saved being given to another, and they 
would think him well rewarded if made a lieutenant, 
which piece of justice he doubted : that he had his 
fortune in his hands, which he might either keep or 
let go ; if he made choice of the latter, he must 
never again expect she would court him to accept 
her favours ; that he ought to set before his eyes his 
circumstances, as a younger brother of a good fami- 
ly, but nothing to support his character; and the 
many years .he must serve at the expense of his 
blood before he could make any figure in the world ; 
and consider the wide difference between the com- 
manding and being commanded; that he might with 
the ship he had under foot, and the brave fellows 
under command, bid defiance to the power of Eu- 
rope, enjoy every thing he wished, reign sovereign 
of the Southern Seas, and lawfully make war on all 
the world, since it would deprive him of that liberty 
to which he had a right by the laws of nature ; that 
he might in time, become as great as Alexander was 
to the Persians : and by increasing his forces by cap- 
tures, he would every day strengthen the justice of 
his cause, for w r ho has power is always in the right. 
That Harry the fourth and Harry the seventh, at- 
tempted and succeeded in their enterprises on the 
crown of England, yet their forces did not equal his. 
Mahomet with a few camel drivers, founded the Ot- 
toman empire ; and Darius, with no more than six or 
seven companions, got possession of that of Persia. 
In a word, he said so much that Misson resolved 
to follow his advice, and calling up all hands, he told 
them, " That a great number of them had resolved 
with him upon a life of liberty, and had done him the 
honour to create him chief; that he designed to force 

2 



14 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

no man, and be guilty of that injustice he blamed in 
others ; therefore, if any were averse to the follow- 
/ ing his fortune, which he promised should be the same 
to all, he desired they would declare themselves, 
and he would set them ashore, whence they might 
return with conveniency." Having made an end, 
they one and all cried, " Vive le Capitain Misson et 
son Lieutenant le scavant Caraccioli" — God bless 
Captain Misson and his learned Lieutenant Carac- 
cioli. Misson thanked them for the honour they con- 
ferred upon him, and promised he would use the 
power they gave for the public good only, and hoped, 
as they had the bravery to assert their liberty, they 
would be as unanimous in the preservation of it, and 
^tand by him in what should be found expedient for, 
the good of all ; that he was their friend and com- 
panion, and should never exert his power, or think 
himself other than their comrade, but when the ne- 
cessity of affairs should oblige him. 

They shouted a second time, Vive le Capitain: 
he, after this, desired they would choose their subal- 
tern officers, and give them, power to consult and 
conclude upon what might be for the common in- 
terest, and bind themselves down by an oath to 
agree to what such officers and he should deter- 
mine ; this they readily gave in to. The school 
master they chose for second lieutenant, Jean Be- 
sace they nominated for third, and the boatswain, 
and a quarter master, named Mathieu le Tondu, 
with the gunner they desired might be their repre- 
sentatives in council. The choice was approved, 
and that every thing might pass methodically, and 
with general approbation, they were called into the 
great cabin, and the question put, What course they 
should steer? The captain proposed the Spanish 
coast as the most probable to afford them rich 
prizes. This was agreed upon by all. The boatswain 
then asked what colours they should fight under, and 



CAPTAIN MtSSON. IS 

advised black as most terrifying; but Caraccioli ob- 
jected, "that they were no pirates, but men who 
were resolved to assert that liberty which God and 
nature gave them, and own no subjection to any, 
farther than was for the common good of all : that 
indeed obedience to governors was necessary, when 
they knew and acted up to the duty of their func- 
tion; were vigilant guardians of the people's rights 
and liberties ; saw that justice was equally distri- 
buted; were barriers against the rich and powerful, 
when they attempted to oppress the weaker; when 
they suffered none on the one hand to grow im- 
mensely rich, either by his own or his ancestor's 
encroachments; nor on the other, any to be wretch- 
edly miserable, either by falling into the hands of 
villains, unmerciful creditors, or other misfortunes; 
while he had eyes impartial, and allowed nothing 
but merit to distinguish between man and man ; 
and instead of being a burthen to the people by his 
luxurious life, he was by his care for, and protection 
of them, a real father, and in every thing acted with 
the equal and impartial justice of a parent: but 
when a governor, who is the minister of the people, 
thinks himself raised to this dignity, that he may 
spend his days in pomp and luxury, looking upon 
his subjects as so many slaves, created for his use 
and pleasure, and therefore leaves, them and their 
affairs to the immeasurable avarice and tyranny of 
some one whom he has chosen for his favourite ; 
when nothing but oppression, poverty, and all the 
miseries of life flow from such an administration ; 
that he lavishes away the lives and fortunes of the 
people, either to gratify his ambition, or to support 
the cause of some neighbouring prince, that he may 
in return, strengthen his hands should his people ! 
exert themselves in defence of their native rights ; 
or should he run into unnecessary wars, by the rash 
and thoughtless councils of his favourite, and not 



16 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

able to make head against the enemy he has rashly 
or wantonly brought upon Ms hands, and buy a 
peacQ (which is the present case of France, as eve- 
ry one knows, by supporting King James, and af- 
terwards proclaiming his son) and drain the subject; 
should the people's trade be wilfully neglected, for 
private interests, and while their ships of war lie 
idle in their harbours, suffer their vessels to be taken; 
and the enemy not only intercepts all commerce, but 
insults their coasts: it speaks a generous and great 
soul to shake off the yoke ; and if we cannot re- 
dress our wrongs, withdraw from sharing the mise- 
ries which meaner spirits submit to, and scorn to 
yield to the tyranny. Such men are we, and, if the 
world, as experience may convince us it Will, makes 
war upon us, the law of nature empowers us not 
only to be on the defensive, but also on the offensive 
part. As we then do not proceed upon the same 
ground with pirates, who are men of dissolute lives 
and no principles, let us scorn to take their colours: 
ours is a brave, a just, an innocent, and a noble 
cause ; the cause of liberty. I therefore advise a 
white ensign, with liberty painted in the fly, and if 
you like the motto, " a Deo a libertate" for God and 
liberty, as an emblem of our uprightness and reso- 
lution." 

The cabin door was left open, and the bulk-head, 
which was of canvass, rolled up: the steerage being 
full of men, who lent an attentive ear, they cried, 
" Liberty, Liberty; we are free men: Vive the brave 
Capt. Misson and the noble Lieut. Caraccioli!" 
This short council breaking up, every thing be- 
longing to the deceased captain, and the other offi- 
cers, and men lost in the engagement, was brought 
upon deck and overhauled; the money ordered to 
be put into a chest, and the carpenter to clap on a 
padlock, and give a key to every one of the coun- 
cil ; Misson telling them, all should be in common, 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 17 

and the particular avarice of no one should defraud 
the public. 

When the plate Monsieur Fourbin had, was going 
to the chest, the men unanimously cried out " avast ! 
keep that out for the captain's use, as a present from 
his officers and fore-mast men. 55 Misson thanked 
them, the plate was returned to the great cabin, and 
the chest secured according to orders : Misson then 
ordered his lieutenants and other officers to exa- 
mine who among the men, were in most want of 
clothes, and to distribute those of the dead men im- 
partially, which was done with the general consent 
and applause of the whole crew. All but the wound- 
ed being upon deck, Misson from the barricade, 
spoke to the following purpose, " That since they 
had unanimously resolved to seize upon and defend 
their liberty, which ambitious men had usurped, and 
that this could not be esteemed by impartial judges 
other than a just and brave resolution, he was un- 
der an obligation to recommend to them a brotherly 
love to each other ; the banishment of all private 
piques and grudges, and a strict agreement and 
harmony among themselves : that in throwing off 
the yoke of tyranny, of ihvhich the action spoke an 
abhorrence, he hoped none would follow the exam- 
ple of tyrants, and turn his back upon justice ; for 
when equity was trodden under foot, misery, con- 
fusion, and mutual distrust naturally followed." He 
also advised them to remember there was a Su- 
preme, the adoration of whom, reason and grati- 
tude prompted us to, and our own interests would 
engage us (as it is best to be of the surest side, and 
after-life was allowed possible) to conciliate : that 
he was satisfied men who were born and bred in 
slavery, by which their spirits were broke, and were 
incapable of so generous a way of thinking ; who, 
ignorant of their birth-right, and the sweets of liber- 
ty, dance to the music of their chains, w r hich was^ 

,2* 



18 CAPTAIN MI8S0N. 

indeed, the greater part of the inhabitants of the 
globe ; would brand this generous crew with the 
invidious name of pirates, and think it meritorious 
to be instrumental in their destruction. Self-pre- 
servation, therefore, and not a cruel disposition, 
obliged him to declare war against all such as should 
refuse him the entry of their ports, and against all, 
who should not -immediately surrender and give 
up what their necessities required ; but in a more 
particular manner against all European ships and 
vessels, as concluded implacable enemies, And I 
do now, said he, declare such war, and, at the same 
time, recommend to you, my comrades, a humane and 
generous behaviour, towards your prisoners ; which 
will appear by so much more the effects of a noble 
soul, as we are satisfied we should not meet the 
same treatment should our ill fortune, or more pro- 
perly our disunion, or want of courage, give us up 
to their mercy. 

After this, he required a muster should be made, 
and there were able hands two hundred, and thirty- 
five sick and wounded. As they were mustered, 
they were sworn. After affairs were thus settled, 
they shaped their course for the Spanish West-In- 
dies, but resolved in the way, to take a week or ten 
days' cruise in the windward passage from Jamaica, 
because most merchantmen, which were good sail- 
ors, and did not stay for convoy, took this as the 
shprter cut for England. 

Off St. Christophers they took an English sloop 
becalmed, with t^heir boats. They took out of her 
a couple of puncheons of rum, and half a dozen 
hogsheads of sugar. She was a New-England sloop, 
bound for Boston, and without offering the least vio- 
lence to the men, or stripping them, they let her go. 
The -master of the sloop was Thomas Butler, who 
owned, he never met with so candid an enemy 
as the French man of war, which took him the day 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 19 

he left St. Christophers. They met with no other 
booty in their way, till they came upon their station, 
when after three days, they saw a sloop which had 
the impudence to give them chase. Capt. Misson 
asked what could be the meaning of the sloop's 
standing for them ? One of the men, who was ac- 
quainted with the West-Indies, told him, it was a 
Jamaica privateer, and he should not wonder, if he 
clapped him aboard. " I am," said he, " no stranger 
to their way of working, and this despicable fellow, 
as those who don't know a Jamaica privateer may 
think him, it is ten to one will give you some trou- 
ble. It now grows towards evening, and you'll find 
as soon as he has discovered your force, he'll keep 
out of the reach of your guns till the 12 o'clock 
watch is changed at night, and he'll then attempt to 
clap you aboard, with hopes to carry you in the 
hurry : wherefore, captain, if you will give me leave 
to advise you, let every man have his small arms ; 
and at 12, let the bell ring as usual, and rather more 
noise than ordinary be made, as if the one watch 
was turning in, and the other out, in a confusion and 
hurry, and I'll engage he will venture to enter his 
men." The fellow's advice was approved and re- 
solved upon, and the sloop worked as he said she 
would ; for upon coming near enough to make out 
distinctly the force of the Victoire, on her throwing 
out French colours, she, the sloop, clapped upon a 
wind, and the Victoire gave chase, but without hopes 
of gaining upon her; she went so well to windward, 
that she could spare the ship some points in her 
sheet, and yet wrong her : at dusk of the evening, 
the French had lost sight of her, but about 11 at 
night, they saw her hankering up on their weather 
bow, which confirmed the sailor's opinion, tnat she 
would attempt to board them, as she did at the pre- 
tended change of the watch ; there being little or 
no wind, she lashed to the bowsprit of the Victoire, 



SO CAPTAIN MISSON. 

and entered her men, who were very quietly taken, 
as they entered, and tumbled down the fore-hatch, 
where they were received by others, and bound 
without noise. Not one of the privateersmen was 
killed, few hurt, and only one Frenchman wounded. 
The Victoire, seeing the better part of the sloop's 
men secured* they boarded in their turn, when the 
privateersmen, suspecting some stratagem, were 
endeavouring to cut their lashing and get off. Thus 
the Englishmen caught a Tartar. The prisoners 
being all secured, the captain charged his men not 
to discover, through a desire of augmenting their 
number, the account they were upon. 

The next morning Monsieur Misson called for the 
captain of the privateer, and told him, he could not 
but allow him a brave fellow, to venture upon a ship 
of his countenance, and for that reason he should 
meet treatment which men of his profession seldom 
aiforded the prisoners they made. He asked him 
how long he had been out, what was his name, and 
what he had on board? He answered he was but 
just come out, that he was the first sail he had met 
with, and should have thought himself altogether 
as lucky not to have spoke with him ; that his name 
was Harry Ramsey, and what he had on board were 
rags, powder, ball, and some few half anchors of 
rum. Ramsey was ordered into the gun-room, and 
a council was held in the public manner aforesaid, 
the bulk-head of the great cabin being rolled up. 
On their conclusion, the captain of the privateer 
was called in again, when Capt Misson told him, he 
would return him his sloop, and restore him and his 
men to their liberty, without stripping or plundering 
them of any thing, but what prudence obliged him 
to, their ammunition and small arms, if he would 
give him his word arid honour, and his men take 
an oath, not to go out on the privateer account in 
six months after they left him^ that he did not 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 21 

design to continue on that station above a week 
longer, at the expiration of which time he would let 
them go. 

Ramsey, who had a new sloop, did not expect this 
favour, which he thanked him for, and promised punc- 
tually to comply with the injunction, which his men 
as readily swore to, though they had no design to 
keep the oath. The time being expired, he and his 
men were put on board their own sloop. At going 
over the ship's side, Ramsey begged Monsieur Mis- 
son would allow him powder for a salute, by way of 
thanks ; but he answered him, the ceremony was 
needless, and he expected no other return than that 
of keeping his word, which indeed Ramsey did, 
Some of his men had found it more to their advan- 
tage to have been as religious. 

At parting Ramsey gave the ship three cheers, 
and Misson had the complaisance to return one, 
which Ramsey answering with three more, made 
the best of his way for Jamaica, and at the east end 
of the island met with the Diana, who, upon advice, 
turned back. 

The Victoire steered for Carthagena, off which 
port they cruised some days, but meeting with no- 
thing in those seas, they made for Porto Bello ; in 
their way they met with two Dutch traders, who had 
letters-of-marque, and were just come upon the 
coast, the one had 20, the other 24 guns; Misson en- 
gaged them, and they'defended themselves with a 
great deal of resolution and gallantry ; and as they 
were manned apeak, he durst not venture to board 
either of them, for fear of being at the same time 
boarded by the other. His weight of metal gave 
him a great advantage over the Dutch, though they 
were two to one ; besides, their business, as they 
had cargoes, was to get off, if possible, wherefore 
they made a running fight, though they took care to 
stick close to one another. 



22 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

They maintained the fight for above six hours, 
when Misson, enraged at this obstinacy, and fearing, 
if by accident they should bring a mast, or topmast, 
by the board, they would get from him, he was re- 
solved to sink the larger ship of the two, and accord- 
ingly ordered his men to bring all their guns to* bear 
a midship, then running close along side of him, to 
raise their metal, his orders being punctually obeyed, 
he poured in a broadside, which opened such a gap in 
the Dutch ship that she went directly to the bottom, 
and every man perished. 

He then manned his bowsprit, brought his spritsail 
yard fore and aft, and resolved to board the other, 
which the Dutch perceiving, and terrified with the 
unhappy fate of their comrade, thought a farther 
resistance vain, and immediately struck. Misson 
gave them good quarters, though he was enraged at 
the loss of thirteen men killed outright, beside nine 
wounded, of which six died. Th^y found on board a 
great quantity of gold and silver lace, brocade silks, 
silk stockings, bales of broadcloth, baizes of all co- 
lours, and osnaburghs. 

A consultation being held, it was resolved Captain 
Misson should take the name of Fourbin, and return- 
ing to Carthagena, dispose of his prize, and set his 
prisoners ashore. Accordingly they plied to the 
eastward, and came to an anchor between Boca 
Chicca fort, and the town, for they did not think it 
expedient to enter the harbour. The barge was man- 
ned, and Caraccioli, with the name of D'Aubigny, the 
fifst lieutenant, who was killed in the engagement 
with the Winchelsea, and his commission in his 
pocket, went ashore with a letter to the governor, 
signed Fourbin, whose character, for fear of the 
worst, was* exactly counterfeited. The purport of 
his letter was, that having discretionary orders to 
cruise for three months, and hearing the English in- 
fested his coast he was come in search of them, and 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 23 

had met two Dutchmen, one of which he had sunk, 
the other he made prize of. That his limited time 
being near expired, he should be obliged to his ex- 
cellency, if he would send on board him such mer- 
chants as were willirig to take the ship and cargo off 
his hands, of which he had sent the Dutch invoice. 
Don Joseph de la Zerda, the then governor, receiv- 
ed the lieutenant (who sent back the barge at land- 
ing) very civilly, and agreed to take the prisoners 
ashore, and do every thing that was required of him ; 
and ordering fresh provisions and vegetables to be 
got ready as a present for the captain, he sent for 
some merchants, who were very ready to go on 
board, ajid agree for the ship and goods ; which they 
did, for fifty-two thousand pieces of eight. The 
next day the prisoners were set ashore ; a rich 
piece of brocade which was reserved, sent to the 
governor for a present, a quantity of fresh provision 
bought and brought on board, the money paid by 
the merchants, the ship and goods delivered, and the 
Victoire, at the dawn of the following day, got under 
sail. It may be wondered how such despatch could 
be made, but the reader must take notice, these 
goods were sold by the Dutch invoice, which the 
merchant of the prize affirmed was genuine. I 
shall observe, by the by, that the Victoire was the 
French man of war which Admiral Wager sent the 
Kingston in search of, and being afterwards falsely 
informed, that she was joined by another of 70 
guns, and that they cruised together between the 
Capes, ordered the Severn up to windward, to assist 
the Kingston, which had like to have proved very 
fatal ; for these two English men of war, command- 
ed by Gapt. Trevor and Capt. Pudnor, meeting in 
the night, had prepared to engage, each taking 
the other for the enemy. The Kingston's men not 
having a good look-out which must be attributed to 
the negligence of the officer of the watch, did not 



24 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

see the Severn till she was just upon them ; but, by 
good luck, to leeward, and plying up, with all the 
sail she could crowd, and a clear ship. This put the 
Kingston in such confusion, that when the Severn 
hailed, no answer was returned for none heard her. 
She was got under the Kingston's stern, and Capt. 
Pudnor ordered to hail for the third and last time, 
and if no answer was returned, to give her a broad- 
side. The noise on board the Kingston was now a 
little ceased, and Capt. Trevor, who was on the 
poop, with a speaking trumpet, to hail the Severn, 
by good luck heard her hail him, and answering the 
Kingston, and asking the name of the other ship, 
prevented the damage. 

They cruised together some time, and meeting 
nothing which answered their information, returned 
to Jamaica, as I shall to my subject, begging pardon 
for this, as I thought, necessary digression. 

Don Juan de la Zerda told the captain in a letter, 
that the St. Joseph, a galleon of 70 guns, was then 
lying at Porto Bello, and Should be glad if he could 
keep her company till she was off the coast. That 
she would sail in eight or ten days for the Havanna ; 
and that, if his time would permit him, he would 
send an advice-boat. That she had on board the 
value of 800,000 pieces of eight in silver, and bar 
gold. Misson returned answer, that he believed he 
should be excused if he stretched his orders, for a 
few days; and that he would cruise off the Isle of 
Pearls, and Cape Gratias a Dios, and give for signal 
to the galleon, his spreading a white ensign in his 
fore-top-mast shrouds, the cluing up his fore-sail, 
and the firing one gun to windward, and two to 
leeward, which he should answer by hoisting his 
fore-top-sail three times, and the firing as many 
guns to leeward. Don Joseph, extremely pleased 
with this complaisance, sent a boat express to ad- 
vise the St. Joseph, but she was already sailed two 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 25 

days, contrary to the governor of Carthagena's ex- 
pectation, and this advice Capt. Misson had from 
the boat, which returning with an answer, saw the 
Victoire in the offing, and spoke to her. It was then 
resolved to follow the St. Joseph, and accordingly 
they steered for the Havanna, but by what accident 
they did not overtake her is unknown. 

I forgot to tell my reader, that on board the 
Dutch ship were fourteen French hugonots, whom 
Misson thought fit to detain. When they were at 
sea, he called them up, and proposed to them their 
taking on ; telling them at the* same time, he left it 
to their choice, for he would have no forced men; 
and that if they all, or any of them disapproved the 
proposal, he would either give them the first vessel 
he met that was fit for them, or set them ashore on 
some inhabited coast ; and therefore bid them take 
two days for consideration before they returned an 
answer; and, to encourage them, he called all 
hands up, and declared, that if any man repented 
of the course of life he had chosen, his just dividend 
should be counted to him, and he would set him on 
shore, either near the Havanna, or some other con- 
venient place ; but not one accepted the offer, and 
the fourteen prisoners unanimously resolved to join 
in with them ; to which resolution, no doubt, the 
hopes of a good booty from the St. Joseph, and this 
offer of liberty, greatly contributed. 

At the entrance of the Gulf they spied and came 
up with a large merchant ship bound for London, 
from Jamaica : she had 20 guns, but no more than 
thirty-two hands, so that it is not to be wondered at 
she made no resistance ; besides, she was deep la- 
den with sugars. Mons. Misson took out of her what 
ammunition she had, about four thousand pieces of 
eight, some puncheons of rum, and ten hogsheads 
of sugar ; and, without doing her any further da- 
mage, let her proceed her voyage. What he valued 

3 



26 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

most in this prize was the men he got, for she was 
carrying to Europe twelve French prisoners, two 
of which were necessary hands, being a carpenter 
and his mate. They were of Bordeaux, from 
whence they came in the Pomechatraine, which 
was taken by the Mermaid off Petit-Guave, after an 
obstinate resistance, in which they lost 40 men. 
These men very willingly came into Capt. Misson's 
measures. Haying been stripped to the skin, they 
begged leave to make reprisals, but the captain 
would not suffer them, though he told the master of 
the prize, as he protected him and his men, he 
thought it reasonable these French should be 
clothed : upon this the master contributed of his 
own, and every man bringing up his chest, thought 
themselves very well off in sharing with them one 
half. 

Though Misson's ship passed for a French man 
of war, yet his generosity in letting the prize go, 
gave the English grounds to suspect the truth, nei- 
ther the ship nor cargo being of use to such as were 
upon the grand account. 

When they had lost all hopes of the St. Joseph, 
they coasted along the north side of Cuba, and the 
Victoire growing now foul, they ran into a land- 
locked bay on the E. N. E. point, where they hove 
her down by boats and guns, though they could not 
pretend to heave her keel out ; however, they 
scraped and tallowed as far as they could go ; they, 
for this reason, many of them, repented they had 
let the last prize go, by which they might have ca- 
reened. 

When they had righted the ship, and put every 
thing on board, they consulted upon the course 
they should steer. Upon this the council divided. 
The captain and Caraccioli, were for stretching 
over to the African, and the others for the New- 
England coast, alleging, that the ship had a foul 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 27 

bottom, and was not fit for the voyage ; and that if 
they met with contrary winds, and bad. weather, 
their stock of provision might fall short ; and that 
as they were not far from the English settlement of 
Carolina, they might either on that or on the coast 
of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New-York, or 
New-England, intercept ships which traded to the 
islands with provisions and by that means provide 
themselves with bread, flour, and other necessaries. 
An account of the provisions was taken, and find- 
ing they had provisions for four months, Capt. Misson 
called all hands upon deck, and told them, as the 
council differed in the course they should steer, he 
thought it reasonable to have it put to the vote of 
the whole company. That for his part, he was for 
going to the coast of Guinea, where they might 
reasonably expect to meet with valuable prizes; 
but should they fail in their expectation one way, 
they would be sure of having it answered in ano- 
ther ; for they could then throw themselves in that 
of East-India ships, and he need not tell them, that 
the outward bound drained Europe of what money 
they drew from America. He then gave the sen- 
timents of those who were against him, and their 
reasons, and begged that every one would give his 
opinion and vote according as he thought most con- 
ducive to the good of all That he should be far 
from taking it ill if they should reject what he had 
proposed, since he had no private views to serve. 
The majority of votes fell on the captain's side, and 
they accordingly shaped their course fqff the coast 
of Guinea, in which voyage nothing remarkable 
happened. On their arrival on the gold-coast, they 
fell in with the Nieuwstadt, of Amsterdam, a ship of 
18 guns, commanded by Capt. Blaes, who made a 
running fight of five glasses: this ship they kept 
with them, putting on board 40 hands, and bringing 
all the prisoners on board the Victoire : they were 



gg CAPTAIN MISSON. 

forty-three in number ; they left Amsterdam with 
fifty-six : seven were killed in the engagement, and 
they had lost six by sickness and accidents, one 
falling overboard, and one being taken by a shark, 
going overboard in a calm. 

The Nieuwstadt had some gold dust on board, to 
the value of about £2000 sterling and a few slaves 
to the number of seventeen, for she had but just be- 
gun to trade ; the slaves were a strengthening of 
their hands, for the captain ordered them to be 
clothed out of the Dutch mariners' chests, and told 
his men " That the trading for those of our own 
species, could never be agreeable to the eyes oi 
divine justice : that no man had power over the li- 
berty of another ; and while those who professed a 
more enlightened knowledge of the Deity, sold men 
like beasts, they proved that their religion was no 
more than grimace, and that they differed from the 
barbarians in name only, since their practice was 
in nothing more humane : for his part, and he 
hoped he spoke the sentiments of all his brave 
companions, he had not exempted his neck from 
the galling yoke of slavery, and asserted his own 
liberty, to enslave others. That however these 
men were distinguished from the Europeans by 
their colour, customs, or religious rites, they were 
the work of the same omnipotent Being, and en- 
dued with equal reason : wherefore he desired they 
might be treated like freemen, (for he would banish 
even the name of slavery from among them) and 
divided into messes among them, to the end they 
might the sooner learn their language, be sensible 
of the obligation they had to them, and more capa- 
ble and zealous to defend that liberty they owed to 
their justice and humanity." 

This speech of Misson's was received with ge- 
neral applause, and the ship rang with " Vivele 
CapUaine Misson." Long live Capt. Misson.—L he 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 29 

negroes were divided among the French, one to a 
mess, who, by their gesticulations showed they 
were gratefully sensible of their being delivered 
from their chains. Their ship growing very foul, 
and going heavily through the water, they run into 
the river of Lagoa, where they hove her down, 
ing out such planks as had suffered most by the 
worms, and substituting new in their room. 

After this they careened the prize, and so put out 
to sea, steering to the southward, and keeping along 
the coast, but met with nothing. All this while, the 
greatest decorum and regularity was observed on 
board the Victoire ; but the Dutch prisoners 5 exam- 
ple began to lead them into swearing and drunken- 
ness, which the captain remarking thought it was 
best to nip these vices in the bud ; and calling both 
file French and Dutch upon deck, he addressed 
himself, to the latter, desiring their captain, who 
spoke French, excellently well, to interpret what he 
said to those who did not understand him. Fjle told 
them, " before he had the misfortune of having them 
on bpard, his ears were never grat earing 

the name of the great Creator profaned, though he, 
to his sorrow, had often since heard his own men 
guilty of that sin, which adminis neither pr 

nor pleasure, and might draw upon them a severe 
punishment: that if they had a just ideaoftfiat great 
Being, they would never mention him, put th 
would immediately reflect on his purity zfnd their 
own viieness. That we so easily took impressions 
from our company, that the Spanish proverb says. 
Let a hermit and a thief live together, the thief 'would 
become hermit, or the hermit thief : that he saw this 
verified in his ship, for he could attribute the. oaths 
and curses he had heard among his brave compa- 
nions, to nothing but the odious example of the 
Dutch : that this was not the only vice they hac ! in- 
troduced, for before they were on board, his men 

3* 



30 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

were men, but he found by their beastly pattern 
they were degenerated into brutes, by drowning 
that only faculty which distinguishes between man 
and beast, reason. That as he had the honour to 
command them, he could not see them run into 
these odious vices without a sincere concern, as he 
had a paternal affection for them ; and he should 
reproach himself as neglectful of the common good, 
if he did not admonish them ; and as by the post 
with which they had honoured him, he was obliged 
to have a watchful eye over their general interest ; 
he was obliged to tell them his sentiments were, 
that the Dutch allured them to a dissolute way of 
life, that they might take some advantage over 
them : wherefore, as his brave companions, he was 
assured', would be guided by reason, he gave the 
Dutch notice, that the first whom he caught either 
with an oath in his mouth or liquor in his head, should 
be brought to the geers, whipped and pickled, 
for an example to the rest of his nation : as to his 
friends;, his companions, his children, those gal- 
lant, thfose generous, noble, and heroic souls he 
had the honour to command, he entreated them to 
allow a small time for reflection, and to consider 
how little pleasure and how much danger, might 
flow from imitating the vices of their enemies ; and 
that they would among themselves, make a law for 
the suppression of what would otherwise estrange 
them from the source of life, and consequently 
leave them destitute of his protection." 

It is not to be imagined what efficacy this speech 
had oik both nations : the Dutch grew continent in 
fear of punishment, and the French in fear of being 
reproached by their good captain, for they never 
mentioned him without this epithet. Upon the 
coa^t of Angola, they met with a second Dutch 
ship, the cargo of which consisted of silk and wool- 
ien stuffs, cloth, lace, wine, brandy, oil, spice, and 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 31 

hardware : the prize gave chase and engaged her, 
but upon the coming up of the Victoire she struck, 
This ship opportunely came in their way, and gave 
full employ to the tailors, w r ho were on board, for 
the whole crew began to be out at elbows : they 
plundered her of what was of use to their own ship, 
and then sunk her. 

The captain having about ninety prisoners on 
board, proposed the giving them the prize with 
what was necessary for their voyage, and sending 
them away ; which being agreed to, they shifted 
her ammunition on board the Victoire, and giving 
them provisions to carry them to the settlements 
the Dutch have on the coast, Misson called them 
up, told them what was his design, and asked if any 
of them was willing to share his fortune : eleven 
Dutch came in to him, two of whom were sail- 
makers, one an armourer, and one a carpenter, 
necessary hands ; the rest he let go, not a little 
surprised at the regularity, tranquillity, and humani- 
ty, which they found among these new fashioned 
pirates. 

They had now run the length of Saldanha bay, 
ab ut ten leagues to the northward of Table Bay. 
As here is good w T ater, safe riding, plenty < of fish 
and fresh provision, to be got of the natives for the 
merchandise they had on board, it was resolved to 
stay here some little time for refreshments. When 
they had the bay open, they spied a tall ship, which 
instantly got under sail, and hove out English colours. 
The Victoire made a clear ship, and hove out her 
French ensign, and a smart engagement began. 
The English was a new ship built for 40 guns, though 
she had but 32 mounted, and 90 hands. Misson 
gave orders for boarding, and the number of fresh 
men he constantly poured in, after an obstinate dis- 
pute obliged the English to fly the decks, and leave 
the French masters of their ship, who promised* 



32 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

and gave them good quarters and stripped not a 
man. 

They found on board the prize some bales of 
English broadcloth, and about ,£60,000 in English 
crown pieces, and Spanish pieces of eight. The 
English captain was killed in the engagement, and 
14 of his men: the French lost 12, which was no 
small mortification, but did not however provoke 
them to use their prisoners harshly. Capt. Misson 
was sorry for the death of the commander, whom 
he buried on shore, and one of his men being a 
stone-cutter, he raised a stone over his grave with 
these words, " Icy gist un brave Anglois" Here lies 
a gallant Englishman, When he was buried he 
made a triple discharge of fifty small arms, and fired 
minute guns. 

The English, knowing whose hands they were 
fallen into, and charmed with Misson's humanity, 
30 of them, in thr^e days space, desired to take on 
with him. He accepted them, but at the same time 
gave them to understand, that in taking on with 
him they were not to expect they should be indulged 
in a dissolute and immoral life. He now divided 
his company between the two ships, and made Ca- 
raccioli captain of the prize, giving him officers 
chosen by- the public suffrage. The 17 negroes be- 
gan to understand a little French, and to be useful 
hands, and in less than a month all the English pri- 
soners came over to him, except their officers. 

He had two ships well manned with resolute fel- 
lows : they now doubled the cape, and made the S. 
end of Madagascar, and one of the Englishmen 
telling Capt. Misson, that the European ships bound 
for Surat commonly touched at the island of Johan- 
na, he sent for Capt. Caraccioli on board, and it was 
agreed to cruise off* that island. They accordingly 
sailed on the West side of Madagascar, and off the 
bay de Diego. About half seas over, between that 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 33 

bay, and the island of Johanna, they came up with 
an English East-Indiaman, which made signals of 
distress as soon as she spied Misson and his prize : 
they found her sinking by an unexpected leak, and 
took all her men on board, though they could get 
little out of her before she went down. The Eng- 
lish, who were thus miraculously saved from perish- 
ing, desired to be set on shore at Johanna, where they 
hoped to meet with either a Dutch or English ship 
in a little time, and the mean while they were sure 
of relief. 

They arrived at Johanna, and were kindly re- 
ceived by the Queen-Regent and her brother, on 
account of the English on the one hand, and of 
their strength on the other, which the queen's bro- 
ther, who had the administration of affairs, was not 
able to make head against, and hoped they might 
assist him against the king of Mohila, who threat- 
ened him with a visit. 

This is an island which is contiguous, in a man- 
ner, to Johanna, and lies about N. W. by N. from it, 
Caraccioli told Misson he might take his advantage 
in widening the breach between these two little 
monarchies, and, by offering his assistance to that 
of Johanna, in a manner rule both, for these would 
court him as their protector, and those come to any 
terms to buy his friendship, by which means he 
would hold the balance of power between them. 
He followed this advice, and offered his friendship 
and assistance to the queen, who very readily em- 
braced it. 

I must advise the reader, that many of this island 
speak English, and that the Englishmen who were 
of Misson's crew, and his interpreters, told them, 
their captain, though not an Englishman, was their 
friend and ally, and a friend and brother to the Jo- 
hannamen, for they esteemed the English beyond 
all other nations. 



34 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

They were supplied by the queen with all neces- 
saries of life, and Misson married her sister, as Ca- 
raccioli did the daughter of her brother, whose ar- 
moury, which consisted before of no more than two 
rusty fire-locks, and three pistols, be furnished with 
30 fuzils, as many pair of pistols, and gave him two 
barrels of powder, and four of ball. 

Several of his men took wives, and some required 
their share of the prizes, which was justly given 
them, they designing to settle in this island ; but the 
number of these did not exceed ten, which loss was 
repaired by thirty of the crew (they had saved from 
perishing) coming in to him. 

While they past their time in all manner of diver- 
sions the place would afford them, as hunting, feast- 
ing, and visiting the island, the king of Mohila, made 
a descent, and alarmed the whole country. Misson 
advised the queen's brother not to give him any im- 
pediment but let him get into the heart of the island, 
and he would take care to intercept their return ; 
but the prince answered, should he follow this ad- 
vice the enemy would do him and his subjects an 
irreparable damage, in destroying the cocoa walks, 
and for that reason he must endeavour to stop his^ 
progress. Upon this answer he asked the English 
who were not under his command, if they were 
willing to join him in repelling the enemies of their 
common host, and one and all consenting, he gave 
them arms, and mixed them with his own men, and 
about the same number of Johannians, under the 
command of Caraccioli and the queen's brother, 
and arming out all his boats, he went himself to the 
westward of the island, where they made their de- 
scent. The party which went by land, fell in with, 
and beat the Mohilians with great ease, who were 
in the greatest consternation, to find their retreat 
cut off by Misson's boats. The Johannians, whom 
they had often molested, were so enraged, that they 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 35 

gave quarter to none, and out of 300 who made the 
descent, if Misson and Caraccioli had not interposed, 
not a soul had escaped; 113 were taken prisoners 
by his men, and carried on board his ships. These 
he sent safe to Mohila, with a message to the king, 
to desire he would make peace with his friend and 
ally the king of Johanna; but that prince, little af- 
fected with the service done him in the preserva- 
tion of his subjects, sent him word he took laws from 
none, and knew when to make war and peace with- 
out his advice, which he neither asked nor wanted. 
Misson, irritated by this rude answer, resolved to 
transfer the war into his own country, and accord- 
ingly set sail for Mohila, with about 100 Johanna 
men. The shore on sight of the ships, was filled 
with men to hinder a descent if intended, but the 
great guns soon dispersed this rabble, and under 
their cover he landed the Johannians, and an equal 
number of French and English. They were met 
by about 700 Mohilians, who pretended to stop their 
passage, but their darts and arrows were of little 
avail against Misson's fuzils ; the first discharge 
made a great slaughter, and about 20 shells which 
were thrown among them, put them to a confused 
flight. The party of Europeans and Johannians 
then marched to their metropolis, without resist- 
ance, which they reduced to ashes, and the Johan- 
nians cut down all the cocoa walks that they could 
for the time, for towards evening they returned to 
their ships, and stood off to sea. \ 

At their return to Johanna the queen made a fes- 
tival, and magnified the bravery and service of her 
guests, friends, and allies. This feast lasted four 
days, at the expiration of which time the queen's 
brother proposed to Capt. Misson the making ano- 
ther descent, in which he would go in person, and 
did not doubt subjecting the Mohilians ; but this was 
not the design of Misson, who had thoughts of fix* 



S6 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

ing a retreat on the N. W. side of Madagascar, and 
looked upon the feuds between these two islands 
advantageous to his views, and therefore no way his 
interest to suffer the one to overcome the other ; 
for while the variance was kept up, and their forces 
pretty much upon a level, it was evident their inte- 
rest would make both sides caress him ; he there- 
fore answered, that they ought to deliberate on the 
consequences, for they might be deceived in their 
hopes, and find the conquest less easy than they 
imagined. That the king of Mohila would be more 
upon his guard, and not only intrench himself, but 
gall them with frequent ambuscades, by which they 
must inevitably lose a number of men ; and, if they 
were forced to retire with loss, raise the courage of 
the Mohilians, and make them irreconcilable ene- 
mies to the Johannians, and entirely deprive him of 
the advantages with which he might now make a 
peace, having twice defeated them : that he could 
not be always with them, and at his leaving Johan- 
na he might expect the king of Mohila would en- 
deavour to take a bloody revenge for the late dama- 
ges. The queen gave entirely into Misson's senti- 
ments. 

While this was in agitation, four Mohilians arrived 
as ambassadors to propose a peace. Finding the 
Johannians upon high terms, one of them spoke to 
this purpose : — O ye Johannians, do not conclude 
from your late success, that fortune will be always 
favourable; she will not always give you the protec- 
tion of the Europeans, and without their help it is pos- 
sible you might now sue for a peace, which you seem 
averse to. Remember the sun rises, comes to its meri- 
dian height, and stays not there, but declines in a 
moment Let this admonish you to reflect on the 
constant revolution of all sublunary affairs, and the 
greater is your glory, the nearer you are to your 
declension. We are taught by every thing we see, 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 37 

that there is no stability in the world, but nature is in 
continual movement The sea, which overflows the 
sands, has its bounds set, which it cannot pass, luhich 
the moment it has reached, without abiding, returns 
back to the bosom of the deep. Every herb, every 
shrub and tree, and even our own bodies teach us this 
lesson, that nothing is durable, or can be counted 
upon. Time passes away insensibly, one sun follows 
another, and brings its changes with it. 'To-day's 
globe of light sees you strengthened by these Europe- 
ans elate with victory, and we, who have been used to 
conquer you, come to ask a peace. To-morrow's sun 
may see you deprived of your present succours, and 
the Johannians petitioning us : as therefore we can- 
not say what to-morroiv may bring forth, it would be 
unwise on uncertain hopes to forego a certain advan- 
tage, as surely peace ought to be esteemed by every 
wise man. 

Having said this, the ambassadors withdrew, and 
were treated by the queen's orders. After the 
council had concluded, they were again called upon, 
.and the queen told them, that by the advice of her 
good friends, the Europeans, and those of her coun- 
cil, she agreed to make a peace, which she wished 
might banish all memory of former injuries : that 
they must own the war was begun by them, 
and that she was far from being the aggressor : 
she only defended herself in her own kingdom, 
which they had often invaded, though, till within a 
few days, she had never molested their coasts. If 
then they really desired to Jive amicably with Jier, 
£hey must resolve to send two of the king's children, 
and ten of the first nobility, as hostages : that they 
might, when they pleased, return, for these were 
the only terms on which she w r ould desist prosecut- 
ing the advantages she now had, with the utmost 
vigour. 

The ambassadors returned with this answer, and, 

4 



38 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

about ten days after, the two ships appearing upon 
their coasts, they sent off to give notice, that their 
king complied with the terms proposed, would send 
the hostages, and desired a cessation of all hostility, 
and, at the same time, invited the commanders on 
shore. The Johanna men on board dissuaded their 
accepting the invitation ; but Misson and Caraccioli, 
fearing ijothing, went, but armed their boat's crew. 
They were received by the king with demonstra- 
tions of friendship, and they dined with him under a 
tamarind tree ; but when they parted from him, and 
were returning to their boats, they were inclosed by, 
at least, a hundred of the Mohilians, who set upon 
them with the utmost fury, and, in the first flight of 
arrows, wounded both the captains, and killed four 
of their boat's crew, of eight who were with them. 
They, in return, discharged their pistols with some 
execution, and fell in with their cutlasses ; but all 
their bravery would have stoocl them in little stead, 
had not the report of their pistols alarmed and 
brought the rest of their friends to their assistance, 
who took their fuzils, and coming up while they 
were engaged, discharged a volley on the back of 
the assailants, which laid twelve of them dead on 
the spot. The ships hearing this fire, sent imme- 
diately the yawls and long-boats well manned. 
Though the islanders were a little damped in their 
courage by this fire of the boat's crew, yet they did 
not give over the fight, and one of them desperately 
threw himself upon Caraccioli, and gave him a deep 
wound in his side, with a long knife ; but he paid for 
the rashness of the attempt with his life, one of the 
crew cleaving his scull. The yawls and long-boats 
now arrived, and being guided by the noise, rein- 
forced their companions, put the traitors to flight, 
and brought off their dead and wounded. The Eu- 
xopeans lost by this treachery, seven slain outright, 
and eight wounded, six of which recovered. 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 39 

The crew were resolved to revenge the blood of 
their officers and comrades the next day, and were 
accordingly on the .point of landing, when two 
canoes came off with two men bound, the pretend- 
ed authors of this treason, without the king's know- 
ledge, who had sent them that they might receive 
the punishment due to their villany. Tlie Johanna 
men on board were called for interpreters, who 
having given this account, added, that the king only 
sacrificed these men, but that they should not be- 
lieve him, for he certainly had given orders for as- 
sassinating the Europeans ; and the better way was 
to kill all the Mohilians that came in the canoes, as 
well as the two prisoners; go back to Johanna, take 
more of their countrymen, and give no peace to 
traitors; but Misson was for no such violent mea- 
sures ; he was averse, to every thing that bore the 
face of cruelty, and thought a bloody revenge, if 
necessity did not enforce it, spoke a grovelling and 
timid soul : he, therefore, sent those of the canoes 
back, and bid them tell their king, if before the eve- 
ning he sent the hostages agreed upon, he should 
give credit to his excuse ; but if he did not, he 
should believe him the author of the late vile at- 
tempt on his life. 

The canoes went off, but returned not with an 
answer; wherefore, he bid the Johanna men tell 
the two prisoners that they should be set on shore 
the next morning, and ordered them to acquaint 
their king, he was no executioner to put those to 
death whom he had condemned, but that he should 
find he knew how to revenge himself of bis treason. 
The prisoners being unbound, threw themselves at 
his feet, and begged that he would not send them 
ashore, for they should be surely put to death, for 
the crime they had committed, was, the dissuading 
the barbarous action of which they were accused as 
authors. 



40 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

Next day, the two ships landed 200 men, under 
the cover of their cannon ; but that precaution of 
.bringing their ships close to the shore, they found 
needless : not a soul appearing, they marched two 
leagues up the country, when they saw a body of 
men appear behind some shrubs. Caraccioli's lieu- 
tenant, who commanded the .right wing, with fifty 
men, made up to them, but found he had got among 
pit-falls artificially covered, several of his men, fall- 
ing into them, which made him halt, and not pursue 
those Mohilians who made a feint retreat to ensnare 
him, thinking it dangerous to proceed farther ; and 
seeing no enemy would face them, they retired the 
same way they came, and getting into their boats, 
went on board the ships, resolving to return with a 
strong reinforcement, and make descents at one 
and the same time in different parts of the island. 
They asked the two prisoners how the country lay, 
and what the soil was on the north side of the 
island; and they answered it was morass, and the 
most dangerous part to attempt, it being a place 
where they shelter on any imminent danger. 

The ships returned to Johanna, where the great- 
est tenderness and care was shown for the recovery 
and cure of the two captains and of their men; they 
Jay six weeks before they were able to walk the 
decks, for neither of them would quit his ship. 
Their Johanna wives expressed a concern they did 
not think them capable of; nay, a wife of one of the 
wqunded men who died, stood some time time look- 
ing upon the corpse as motionless as a statue, then 
embracing it, without shedding a tear, desired she 
might take it ashore to wash and bury it ; and at the 
same time by an interpreter, and with a little mixture 
of European language, begged her late husband's 
friends would take their leave of him the next day. 

Accordingly a number went ashotfe, and carried 
with them the dividend, which fell to his share* 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 4i 

which the captain ordered to be given to his 
widow ; when she saw the money, she smiled, and 
asked if all that was for her? — Being answered in 
the affirmative, "and what good will all that shining 
dirt do me ? If I could with it purchase the life of 
my husband, and call .him back from the grave, I 
would accept it with pleasure, but as it is not suffi- 
cient to allure him back to this world, I have no use 
for it; do with it what you please." Then she desired 
they would go with her and perform the last cere- 
monies toiler husband's dead body, after their coun- 
try fashion, lest he should be displeased; that she 
could not stay with them, to her a witness, because 
she was in haste to go and be naarried again. She 
startled the Europeans who heard this latter part of 
her speech, so dissonant from the beginning ; how- 
ever they followed her, and she led them into a 
plantain walk, where they found a great many Jo- 
hanna men and women, sitting under the shade of 
plantains, round the corpse, which lay (as they all 
sat) on the ground, covered with flowers. She em- 
braced them round, and then the Europeans, one 
by one, and after these ceremonies, she poured out 
a number of bitter imprecations against the Moliila 
men, whose treachery had darkened her husband's 
eyes, and madeiiim insensible of her caresses, who 
was her first love, to whom she had given her heart, 
with her virginity. She then proceeded in his 
praises, caHing him the joy of infants, the love of 
virgins, the delight of the old, and the wonder of 
the young, adding, he was strong and beautiful as 
the cedar, brave as the bull, tender as the kid, and 
loving as the ground turtle. Having finished this 
oration, not unlike those of the Romans, which the 
nearest relation of the deceased used to pronounce 
from the rostrum, she laid down by the side of her 
husband, embracing him, and sitting up again, gave 

4* 



42 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

herself a deep wound under the left breast with a 
bayonet, and fell dead on her husband's corpse. 

The Europeans were astonished at the tender- 
ness and the resolution of the girl, for she was not, 
by what her mien spoke her, past seventeen ; and 
they now admired, as much as they had secretly 
detested her, for saying she was in haste to be mar- 
ried again, the meaning of which they did not 
understand. 

After the husband and wife were buried, the 
crew returned on board, and gave an account of 
what had passed ; the captain's wives (for Misson 
and his were on board the Bijoux, the name they 
had given their prize from her make and gilding) 
seemed not in the least surprised, and Caraccioli's 
lady only said, she must be of noble descent, for 
none but the families of the nobility had the privi-. 
lege allowed them of following their husbands, on 
pain, if they transgressed, of being thrown into the 
sea, to be eat by fish ; and they knew that their souls 
could not rest as long as any of the fish, who fed upon 
them, lived. Misson asked, if they intended to have 
done the same thing had they died ? " We should 
not," answered his wife, " have disgraced our fami- 
lies ; nor is our tenderness for our husband's infe- 
rior to hers whom you seem to admire." 

After their recovery, Misson proposed a cruise, 
on the coast of Zanguebar, which being agreed to, 
he and Caraccioli, took leave of the queen and her 
brother, and would have left their wives on the 
island, but they could by no means be induced to 
the separation ; it was in vain to urge the shortness 
of the time they were to cruise ; they answered it 
was not farther than Mohila they intended to go, 
and if they were miserable in that short absence, 
they could never support a longer; and if they 
would not allow them to keep them company in the 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 43 

voyage, they must not expect to see them at their 
return, if they intended one. 

In a word, they were obliged to yield to them, but 
told them, if the wives of their men should insist as 
strongly on following their example, their tender- 
ness would be their ruin, and make them a prey to 
their enemies ; they answered, the queen should 
prevent that, by ordering that no woman should go 
on board, and if any were in the ships, they should 
return on shore : this order was accordingly made, 
and they set sail for the river of Mozambique. In 
about ten days' cruise after they had left Johanna, 
and about 15 leagues to the eastward of this river, 
they fell in with a stout Portuguese ship of 60 guns, 
which engaged them from break of day till two in 
the afternoon, when the captain being killed, and a 
great number of men lost, she struck ; this proved a 
very rich prize, for she had the value of £250,000 
sterling on board, in gold dust. The two women 
never quit the decks all the time of the engagement, 
neither gave they the least mark of fear except for 
their husbands. This engagement cost them 30 
men, and Caraccioli lost his right leg ; the slaughter 
fell mostly on the English, for of the above number, 
20 were of that nation : the Portuguese lost double 
the number. Caraccioli's wound made them resolve 
to make the best of their way for Johanna, where 
the greatest care was taken of their wounded, not 
one of whom died, though their number amounted 
to 27. 

Caraccioli kept his bed two months ; but Misson 
seeing him in a fair way of recovery, took what 
hands could be spared from the Bijoux, leaving her 
sufficient for defence, and went out, having mounted 
ten of the Portuguese guns, for he had hitherto 
carried but thirty, though he had ports for forty. He 
stretched over to Madagascar, and coasted along 
this island to the northward, as far as the most 



44 CAPTAIN MISSON. 

northerly point, when turning back, he entered a 
bay to the northward of Diego Suares. He run ten 
leagues up this bay, and on the larboard side found 
it afforded a large, and safe harbour, with plenty of 
fresh water. He came to an anchor, went on shore and 
examined the nature of the soil, which he found rich, 
the air wholesome, and the country level. He told his 
men this was an excellent place for an asylum, and 
that he determined here to fortify and raise a small 
town, and make docks for shipping, that they might 
have some place to call their own; and a receptacle, 
when age or wounds had rendered them incapable 
of hardship, where they might enjoy the fruits of 
their labour, and go to their graves in peace : that 
he would not, however, set about this, till he had 
the approbation of the whole company; and were 
he sure they would all approve this design, which 
he hoped, it being evidently for the generahgood, 
he should not think it advisable to begin any works, 
lest the natives should, in his absence, destroy 
them; but, however, as they had nothing upon 
their hands, if they were of his opinion, they might 
begin to fall and square timber, ready for the rais- 
ing a wooden fort, when they returned with their 
companions. 

The captain's motion was universally applauded, 
and in ten days they felled and rough hewed a 
hundred and fifty large trees, without any interrup- 
tion from or seeing any of the inhabitants. They 
felled their timber at the waters' edge, so that they 
had not the trouble of hauling them any way, which 
\?ould have employed a great deal more time : they 
returned again, and acquainted their companions 
with what they had seen and done, and with the 
captain's resolution, which they one and all came 
into. 

Capt. Misson then told the queen, as he had been 
serviceable to her in her war with the island of 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 45 

Mohila, and might continue to be .of farther use, he 
did not question her lending him assistance in the 
settling himself on the coast of Madagascar, and to 
that end, furnish him with 300 men, to help in his 
buildings. The queen answered, she could do 
nothing without consent of council, and that she 
would assemble her nobility, and did not question 
their agreeing to anything he could reasonably de- 
sire, for they were sensible of the obligations the 
Johannians had to him. The council was accord- 
ingly called, and Misson's demand being told, one 
of the eldest said, he did not think it expedient to 
comply with it, nor safe to refuse ; that they should 
in agreeing to give him that assistance, help to 
raise a power, which might prove formidable to 
themselves, by the being so near a neighbour; and 
these men who had lately protected, might, when 
they found it for their interest, enslave them. On 
the other hand, if they did not comply, they had the 
power to do them great damage: that they were 
to make choice of the least of two possible evils, for 
he could prognosticate no good to Johanna, by 
their settling near it. Another answered, that 
many of them had Johanna wives : that it was not 
likely they would make enemies of the Johanna 
men at first settling, because their friendship might 
be of use to them; and from their children there 
was nothing to be apprehended in the next genera- 
tion, for they would be half their own blood; that 
in the mean while, if they complied with the re r 
quest, they might be sure of an ally and protector 
against the king of Mohila ; wherefore, he was for 
agreeing to the demand. 

After a long debate, in which every inconve- 
nience and advantage was maturely considered, it 
was agreed to send with him the number of men he 
required, on condition he should send them back in 
four moons, make an alliance with them, and war 



46 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 



against Mohila. This being agreed to, they staid 
till Caraccioli was thoroughly recovered : then put- 
ting the Johannians on board the Portuguese ship, 
with forty French- and English, and fifteen Portu- 
guese to work her, and setting sail, they arrived at 
the place where Misson designed his settlement, 
which he called Liber tatia, and gave the name of 
Liberi to his people, desiring in that might be 
drowned the distinguishing -names of French, Eng- 
lish, Dutch, Africans, &c. 

The first thing they sat about was, the raising a 
fort on each side the harbour, which- they made of 
an octagon figure, and having finished andrmounted 
them with forty guns taken out of the Portuguese, 
they raised a battery on an angle, often guns, and 
began to raise houses and magazines under the 
protection of their forts and ships ; the Pprtuguese 
was unrigged, and all her sails and cordage care- 
fully laid up. While they were very busily employ- 
ed in the raising a town, a party which had often 
hunted and rambled four or five leagues off their set- 
tlement, resolved to venture farther into the coun- 
try. They made themselves some huts, at about 
four leagues distance from their companions, and 
travelled E.~S. E. about five leagues farther into 
the country, when they came up with a black, who 
was armed with a bow, arrows, and a javelin : they 
with a friendly appearance engaged the fellow to 
lay by his fear, and go with them. They carried 
him to their companions, and there entertained 
him three days with a great deal of humanity, and 
then returned with him near the place they found 
him, and made him a present of a piece of scarlet 
baize, and an axe. He appeared overjoyed with 
the present, and left them with seeming satisfac- 
tion. 

The hunters imagined that there; might be some 
village not far off, and observing that he looked at the 



CAPTAIN MISSON. 47 

eun, and then took his way directly south, they 
travelled on the same point of the compass, and 
from the top of a hill they spied a pretty larg^. 
village, and went down to it : the men came out 
with their arms, such as before described, bows, 
arrows, and javelins ; but upon two only of the 
whites advancing, with presents of axes and baize 
in their hands, they sent only four to meet them. 
The misfortune was, that they could not understand 
one another': but by their pointing to the sun, 
and holding up one finger, and making one of them 
go forward, and return again with showing their 
circumcision, and pointing up to heaven with one 
finger, they apprehended they gave them to under- 
stand there was but one God, who had sent one 
prophet, and concluded from thence, and their cir- 
cumcision, they were Mahometans. The presents 
were carried to their chief, and he seemed to re- 
ceive them kindly, and by signs invited the whites 
into their village ; but they,- remembering the late 
treachery of the Mohilians, made signs for victuals 
to be, brought to them where they were. 

]jrj=» The remainder of Captain Misson's History 
will be found incorporated with that of Capt. Tew. 



48 CAPTAIN BOWEN. 



CAPTAIN JOHN BOWEN. 



The exact time of this person's setting out I am 
not certain of. I find him cruising on the Malabar 
coast in the year 1700, commanding a ship called 
the Speaker, whose crew consisted of men of all na- 
tions, and their piracies were committed upon ships 
of all nations likewise. The pirates here met with 
no manner of inconveniencies in carrying on their 
designs, for it was made so much a trade, that the 
merchants of one town never scrupled the buying 
commodities taken from another, though but ten 
miles distant, in a public sale, furnishing the rob- 
bers at the same time with all necessaries, even of 
vessels, when they had occasion to go on any ex- 
pedition, which they themselves would often advise 
them of. 

Among the rest, an English East-Indiaman, Capt. 
Coneway, from Bengal, fell into the hands of this 
crew, which they made prize of, near Callequilon. 
They carried her in, and put her up to sale, dividing 
the ship and cargo into three shares ; one third 
was sold to a merchant, native of Callequilon afore- 
said, another third to a merchant of Porca, and the 
other to one Malpa, a Dutch factor. 

Loaded with the spoil of this and several country 
ships they left the coast, and steered for Madagas- 
car ; but in their voyage thither, meeting with ad- 
verse winds, and, being negligent in their steerage, 
they ran upon St. Thomas' reef, at the island of 
Mauritius, where the ship was lost ; but Bowen 
and the greatest part of the crew got safe ashore. 

They met here with all the civility and good 
treatment imaginable. Bowen was complimented 



CAPTAIN BOWEN. 49 

in a particular manner by the governor, and splen- 
didly entertained in his house ; the sick men were 
got, with great care, into the fort, and cured by 
their doctor, and no supplies of any sort, wanting 
for the rest. They spent here three months, but 
yet resolving to set down at Madagascar, they 
bought a sloop, which they converted into a brigan- 
tine, and about the middle of March, 1701, departed, 
having first taken formal leave of the governor, by 
making a present of 2500 pieces of eight ; leaving 
him, besides, the wreck of their ship, with the guns, 
stores, and every thing else that was saved. The 
governor, on his part, supplied them with necessa- 
ries for their voyage, which was but short, and gave 
them a kind invitation to make that island a place 
of refreshment in the course of their future adven- 
tures, promising that nothing should be wanting to 
them that his government afforded. 

Upon their arrival at Madagascar, they put in at 
a place on the east side, called Maritan, quit their 
vessel, and settled themselves ashore in a fruitful 
*plain on the side of a river. They built themselves 
a fort on the river's mouth, towards the sea, and 
another small one on the other side, towards the 
country ; the first to prevent a surprise from ship- 
ping, and the other as a security from {he natives, 
, many of whom they employed in the building. 
They built also a little town for their habitation, 
which took up the remainder of the year 1701. 

When this was done, they soon became dissatis- 
fied with their new situation, having a hankering 
mind after their old employment, and accordinglv 
resolved to fit up the hrigantine they had from the 
Dutch at Mauritius, which was laid m a cove near 
their settlement; but an accident, that they im- 
proved, provided for them in a better manner, and 
saved them a great deal of trouble. 

It happened that about the beginning of the year 

5 



50 CAPTAIN BOWEN. 

1702, a'ship called the Speedy Return, belonging 
to the Scotch-African and East-India company, 
Capt. Drummond, commander, came into the port 
of Maritan in Madagascar, with a brigantine that 
belonged to her; they had before taken in negroes 
at St. Mary's, a little island adjoining to the main 
land of Madagascar, and carried them to Don Mas- 
car enhas, from whence they sailed to this port on 
the same trade.. 

On the ship's arrival, Capt. Drummond, with An- 
drew Wilky, his surgeon, and several others of the 
crew, went on shore ; in the mean time John Bow- 
en, with four others of his consorts, went off in a 
little boat, on pretence. of buying some of their mer- 
chandise brought from Europe: and finding a fair 
opportunity, the chief mate, boatswain, and a hand 
or two more only upon deck, and the rest at work 
in the hold, they threw off their mask ; each drew 
out a pistol and hanger, and told them they were 
all dead men if they did not retire that moment 
to the cabin. The surprise was sudden, and they 
thought it necessary to obey: one of the pirates 
placed himself sentry at the door, with his arms in 
his hands, and the rest immediately laid the hatch- 
es, and then made a signal to their fellows on shore 
as agreed on; upon which, about forty or fifty came 
on board, and took quiet possession of the ship, and 
afterwards the brigantine, without bloodshed, or 
striking a stroke. Bowen was made, or rather 
made himself, of course, captain; he detained the 
old crew, or the greatest part thereof, burnt the 
Dutch brigantine as being of* no use to them, clean- 
ed and fitted the ship, took water, provisions, and 
what necessaries were wanting, and made ready 
for new adventures. 

Having thus piratically possessed himself of Capt. 
Drummond's ship and brigantine, and being inform- 
ed by the crew, that when they left Don Mascaren- 



CAPTAIN BOWEN. 51 

has, a ship called the Rook galley, Capt. Honey- 
comb, commander, was lying in that bay, Bowen 
resolved, with the other pirates, to sail thither, but 
it taking up seven or eight days in watering their 
vessels, and settling their private affairs, they ar- 
rived not at the island till after the departure of the 
said galley, who thereby happily escaped the vil- 
laneous snare of their unprovoked enemies. 

The night after the pirates left Maritan, the bri- ( 
gantine ran on a ledge of rocks off the west side of 
the island of Madagascar, which not being perceived 
by the ship, Bowen came into Mascarenhas without 
her, not knowing what was become of his consort. 
Here he stayed eight or ten days, in which time lie 
supplied the ship with provisions, and judging that 
the Rook galley was gone to some other island, the 
ship sailed to Mauritius, in search of her ; but the 
pirates seeing four or five ships in the N. W. har- 
bour, they thought themselves too weak to attempt 
any thing there ; so they stood immediately for 
Madagascar again, and arrived safe, first at Port 
Dauphin and then at Augustin Bay. In a few days 
the Content brigantine, s which they supposed either 
to have been lost, or revolted that honourable ser- 
vice, came into the same bay, and informed their 
brethren of the misfortune that happened to them,. 

The rogues were glad, no doubt, of seeing one 
another again, and calling a council-together, they 
found the brigantine in no condition for business, 
being then very leaky; therefore she was con- 
demned, and forthwith hauled asnore and burnt, and 
the crew united, and all went on board the Speedy 
Return. 

At this place the pirates were made acquainted, 
by the negroes, of the adventures of another gang 
tliat had settled for some time near that harbour, and 
had one Howard for their captain. It was the mis- 
fortune of an India ship called the Prosperous, to 



52 CAPTAIN BOWEN. 

come into the bay at a time that these rogues were 
looking out for employment ; who under the pre- 
tence of trading (almost in the same manner that 
Bowen and his gang had seized the Speedy Return) 

le themselves masters of her, and sailed with 
her to New Mathelage. Bowen and his gang, con- 
sulting together on this intelligence, concluded it was 
more" for their interest to join in alliance with this 
new company, than to act single, they being too 
weak of themselves to undertake any considerable 
enterprise, remembering how they were obliged to 
bear away from the island of Mauritius, when they 
were in search of the Rook galley, which they might 
have taken, with several others, had they had, at 
tiiattime, a consort of equal force to their own ship. 

They accordingly set sail from the bay, and came 
into New Mathelage, but found no ship there, though 
upon inquiry they understood that the pirate they 
looked for, 'had been at the place, but was gone; 
so after some stay they proceeded to Johanna, but 
the Prosperous not being there neither, they sailed 
to Mayotta, where they found her lying at anchor. 
This was about Christmas, 1702. 

Here these two powers struck up an alliance, 
Howard, liking the proposals, came readily into it, 
and the treaty was ratified by both companies. 
They stayed above two months at this island, think- 
ing it, perhaps, as likely a place to meet with prey as 
cruising out for it, and so indeed ii happened ; for 
about the beginning of March, the ship Pembroke, 
belonging to our East-India company, coming in for 
water, was boarded by their boats, and taken, with 
the loss of the chief mate and another man that 
were killed in the skirmish. 

The two pirate ships weighed, and went out to 
sea along with their prize, and that day and the 
next plundered her of the best part of her cargo, 
provisions, and stores, and then taking the captain. 



CAPTAIN BOWEN. §3 

and carpenter away, they let the Pembroke go 
where the remainder of her crew pleased, and came 
with their ships into New Mathelage. Here the 
two captains consulted, and laid a plan for a cruise 
to India, for which purpose they detained Cap-,. 
Woolley, of the Pembroke, lately taken, in order to 
be their pilot in those seas ; but a very hot dispute 
arose between the two companies which ship he 
should go aboard of, insomuch that they had gone 
together by the ears, if an expedient hard not been 
found to satisfy each party, that one might not have 
the advantage of the other by the captain's skill 
and knowledge of the InSian coast, and this was to 
knock the poor man on the >ead, and murder him; 
but at last, by the authority of Bowen, Capt. -Wool- 
ley escaped the threatened danger, by bringing his 
company to consent to his remaining on board the 
Prosperous, where he then was. 

The Speedy Return toeing foiil, and wanting a 
little repair, it was judged proper for her to go back 
to Augustin Bay to clean ; in the mean while the 
Prosperous was to have a pair of boat-tops where 
she lay, and likewise to take in water and provi- 
sions, and then to join their consort again at May- 
otta, the island appointed for the rendezvous. 

The Prosperous put into Mayotta as agreed on, 
and waiting there some time for Bowen's ship, with- 
out seeing or hearing any news of her, went to Jo- 
hanna, but not meeting with her there, they appre- 
hended some accident had befell her, and therefore 
left the place, and sailed on the expedition them- 
selves. As to the Speedy Return, she arrived safe 
at St. Augustin Bay, at Madagascar, and there 
cleaned and victuall d ; but tarrying there some- 
what too long, the winds hung contrary, and they 
could not for their lives beat up to Mayotta, and 
therefore went up to Johanna, where,- hearing that 
their friends had latelv left that Island, they steered 

5* 



54 CAPTAIN BOWEN. 

for the Red Sea, but the wind not proving fair for 
their design, they bore away for the high land of 
St. John's, near Surat, where they once more fell in 
company with their brethren of the Prosperous. 

They cruised together, as was first agreed on, 
and after some time they had sight of four ships, 
to which they gave chase ; but these separating, 
two standing to the northward, and two to the south- 
ward, the pirates separated likewise, Bowen stand- 
ing after those that steered southerly, and Howard 
crowding after the others. Bowen came up with 
the heaviest of the two, which proved to be a Moor- 
ish ship, of 700 tons, bound from the Gulf of Mo- 
cha to Surat. The pirates brought the prize into' 
Rajapora, on the coast of India, where they plun- 
dered her ; the merchandise they sold to the na- 
tives, but a small sum of current gold they found 
aboard, amounting to .£22,000 English money, they 
put into their pockets. Two days after, the Pros- 
perous came in, but without any prize ; however, 
they soon made their friends acquainted that they 
had not succeeded worse than themselves, for at 
Surat river's mouth, where all the four ships were 
bound, they came up with their chase, and with a 
broad side, one of them struck, but the other got 
into the bay. They stood down the coast with the 
prize till they had plundered her of the best of her 
cargo, the most valuable of which was 84,000 se- 
quins, a piece of about ten shillings each, and then 
they left her adrift, without either anchor or cable, 
off Daman. 

While they were lying at Rajapora they passed a 
survey on their shipping, and judging their own to 
be less serviceable than their prize, they voted them 
to the flames, and straightway fitted up the Surat 
ship. They transported both companies aboard oi 
her, and then set fire to the Prosperous and Speedy 
Return. They mustered at this place 164 fighting 



CAPTAIN BOWEN. 56 

men: 43 only were English, the greater number 
French, the rest Danes, Swedes, and Dutch. They 
took aboard 70 Indians to do the drudgery of the 
ship, and mounted 56 guns, calling her the Defiance, 
and sailed from Rajapora the latter end of October, 
in the year 1703 to cruise on the coast of Malabar. 
But not meeting with prey in this first cruise, they 
came to an anchor about three leagues to the north- 
ward of Cochen, expecting some boats to come off 
with supplies of refreshments, for which purpose 
they fired several guns, by way of signal, but none 
appearing, the quarter-master was sent in the pin- 
nace to confer with the people, which he did with 
some caution, keeping the boat upon their oars at 
the shore side. In short, they agreed very well, 
the pirates were promised whatever necessaries 
they wanted, and the boat returned aboard. 

The next day a boat came off from the town 
with hogs, goats, wine, &c. with a private intima- 
tion from Malpa, the Dutch broker, an old friend of 
the pirates, that a ship of that country called the 
Rhimse, lay then in Mudbay, not many leagues off, 
and if they would go out and take her, he would 
purchase the cargo of them, and likewise promised 
that they should be further supplied with pitch, tar, 
and all other necessaries, which was made good to 
them; for people from the factory flocked aboard 
eV^ry hour, and dealt with them as in open market, 
for all sorts of merchandise, refreshments, jewels, 
/and plate, returning with coffers of money, &c. to 
a great value. 

The advice of the ship was taken very kindly, but 
the pirates judging their own ship too large to. go 
close into the bay, consulted their friend upon means 
for taking the said ship, who readily treated with 
them for the sale of one of less burthen, that then 
lay in the harbour ; but Malpa speaking to one Punt, 
of the factory, to carry her out, he not only refused 



56 CAPTAIN KIDD. I 

to be concerned in such a piece of villany, but re- 
proved Malpa for corresponding with the pirates, 
and told him, if he should be guilty of so base an 
action, he must never see the face of any of his 
countrymen more ; which made the honest broker 
change both his countenance and his purpose. 

At this place Capt. Woolley, whom they had taken* 
for their pilot on the -Indian coast, being in a very 
sick and weak condition, was, at his earnest en- 
treaty, discharged from his severe confinement 
among them, and set ashore, and the next day the 
pirates sailed, and ranged* along the Malabar coast, 
in quest of more booty. In their way they met a 
second time with the Pembroke, and plundered her 
of some sugar, and other small things, and let her 
go again. From the coast they sailed back for the 
Island of Mauritius, where they lay some time, and 
lived after their usual extravagant manner. 



CAPTAIN ROBERT KIDD 



We are now going to give an account of one 
whose name is well known in England. The per- 
son we mean is Capt. Kidd, whose public trial and 
execution here, rendered him the subject of all con- 
versation, so that his actions have been chanted 
about in ballads. However, it is now a considera- 
ble time since these things passed, and though the 
people knew in general that Capt. Kidd was hanged, 



CAPTAIN KIDD. 57 

and that his crime was piracy, yet there were 
scarce any, even at that time, who were acquainted 
with his life or actions, or could account for his turn- 
ing pirate. 

In the beginning of king William's war, Capt. 
Kidd commanded a privateer in the West-Indies, and 
by several adventurous actions acquired the repu- 
tation of a brave man, as well as an experienced 
seaman. About this time the pirates were very 
troublesome in those parts : wherefore Capt. Kidd 
was recommended by the Lord Bellamont, then 
governor of Barbadoes, as well as by several other 
persons, to the government here, as a person very 
fit to be entrusted with the command of a govern- 
ment ship, and to be employed in cruising upon the 
pirates, as knowing those seas perfectly well, and 
being acquainted with all their lurking places ; but 
what reasons governed the politics of those times, 
I cannot tell, but this proposal met with no encou- 
ragement here, though it is certain it would have 
been of great consequence to the subject, our mer- 
chants suffering incredible damages by those rob- 
bers. 

Upon this neglect, the lord Bellamont and some 
others, who knew what great captures had been 
made by the pirates, and what a prodigious wealth 
must be* in their possession, were tempted to fit out 
a ship at their own private charge, and to give the 
command of her to Capt. Kidd ; and to give the thing 
a greater reputation, as well as to keep their sea- 
men under the better command, they procured the 
king's commission for the said Capt. Kidd, of which 
the following is an exact copy : 

William Rex, 
" William the Third, by the grace of God, 
King of England, Scotland, "France, and Ireland, 
defender of the faith, &c. To our trusty and well 



58 CAPTAIN KtDD. 

beloved Capt. Robert Kidd, commander of the ship 
the Adventure galley, or to any other the com* 
mander of the same for the time being, Greeting : 
Whereas we are informed, that Capt. Thomas Too* 
John Ireland, Capt. Thomas Wake, and Capt. Wil- 
liam Maze, or Mace, and other subjects, natives or 
inhabitants of New-York, and elsewhere, in our 
plantations in America, have associated themselves 
with divers others, wicked and ill-disposed persons, 
and do, against the law of nations, commit many 
and great piracies, robberies, and depredations on 
the seas upon the parts of America, and in other 
parts, to the great hindrance and discouragement ol 
trade and navigation, and to the great danger and 
hurt of our loving subjects, our allies, and all others, 
navigating the seas upon their lawful occasions* 
Now know ye, that we being desirous to prevent 
the aforesaid mischiefs, and as much as in us lies, 
to bring the said pirates, free-booters and sea-rovers 
to justice, have thought fit, and do hereby give and 
grant to the said Robert Kidd (to whom our com- 
missioners for exercising the office of Lord High 
Admiral of England, have granted a commission as 
a private man of war, bearing date the 11th day of 
December, 1695,) and unto the commander ofthe 
said ship for the time being, and unto the officers, 
mariners, and others, which shall be under your com- 
mand, full power and authority to apprehend, seize, 
and take into your custody as well the said Capt. 
Thomas Too, John Ireland, Capt. Thomas Wake, and 
Capt. William Maze, or Mace, as all such pirates, free- 
booters, and sea-rovers, being either our subjects, 
or of other nations associated with them, which you 
shall meet with upon the seas or coasts of America, 
or upon any other seas or coasts, with all their ships 
and vessels, and all such merchandises, money, 
goods, and wares as shall be found on board, or with 
them, in case they shall willingly yield themselves ; 



CAPTAIN KI&D. 59 

but if they will not yield without fighting, then you 
are by force to compel them to yield. And we also 
require you to bring, or cause to be brought, such 
pirates, free-booters, or sea-rovers, as you shall 
seize, to a legal trial, to the end they may be pro- 
ceeded against according to the law in such cases. 
And we do hereby command all our officers, minis- 
ters, and other our loving subjects whatsoever, to 
be aiding and assisting to you in -the premises. 
And we do hereby enjoin you to keep an exact 
journal of your proceedings in the execution of the 
premises, and set down the names of such pirates, 
and of their officers and company, and the names of 
such ships and vessels as you shall by virtue of these 
presents take and seize, and the quantities of arms, 
ammunition, provision, and lading of such ships, and 
the true value of the same, as near as you judge. 
And we do hereby strictly charge and command 
you, as you will answer the contrary at your peril, 
that you do not, in any manner, offend or molest 
our friends or allies, their ships or subjects, by colour 
or pretence of these presents, or the authority 
thereby granted. In witness ivkereof, we have 
caused our great seal of England to be affixed to 
these presents. Given at our court in Kensington, 
the 26th day of January, 1895, in the 7th year oi 
our reign." 

Capt. Kidd had also another commission, which 
was called a commission of reprisals ; for it being 
then war time, this commission was to justify him 
in the taking of French merchant ships, in case he 
should meet with any ; but as this commission 
is nothing to our present purpose, we shall not bur- 
then the reader with it. 

With these two commissions he sailed out of 
Plymouth in May, 1698, in the Adventure galley, of 
30* guns, and 80 men; the place he first designed 



60 CAPTAIN KIDD. 

for was New-York ; in his voyage thither he took a 
French banker, but this was no act of piracy, he 
having a commission for that purpose, as we have 
just observed. 

When he arrived at % New-York, he put up articles 
for engaging more hands, it being necessary to his 
ship's crew, since he proposed to deal with a despe- 
rate enemy. The terms he offered were, that 
every man should have a share of what was taken, 
reserving for himself and owners forty shares. 
Upon which encouragement he soon increased his 
company to 155 men. 

With this company he sailed first for Madeira, 
where he took in wine and some other necessaries ; 
from thence he proceeded to Bonavista, one of the 
Cape-de-Verd islands,, to furnish the ship with salt, 
and from thence went immediately to St. Jago, 
another of the Cape-de-Verd islands, in order to 
stock himself with provisions. When all this was 
done, he bent his course to Madagascar, the known 
rendezvous of pirates. In his way he fell in with 
Capt. Warren, commodore of three men of war : 
he acquainted him with his design, kept them com- 
pany two or three days, and then leaving them, 
made the best of his way for Madagascar, where he 
arrived in February, 1696, just nine months from 
his departure from Plymouth. 

It happened that at this time the pirate ships 
were most of them out in search of prey ; so that 
according to the best intelligence Capt. Kidd could 
get, there was not one of them at that time about 
the island : wherefore, having spent some time in 
watering his ship and taking in more provisions, he 
thought of trying his fortune on the coast of Mala- 
bar, where he arrived in the month of June follow- 
ing, four months from his reaching Madagascar. 
Hereabouts he made an unsuccessful cruise, touch- 
ing sometimes at the island of Mohila, and some- 



CAPTAIN KIDD. 61 

times at that of Johanna, between Malabar and 
Madagascar. His provisions were every day wast- 
ing, and his ship began to want repair : wherefore, 
when he was at Johanna, he found means of bor- 
rowing a sum of money from some Frenchmen who 
had lost their ship, but saved their effects, and 
with this he purchased materials for putting his ship 
in good repair. 

It does not appear all this while that he had the 
least design of turning pirate ; for near Mohila and 
Johanna both, he met with several Indian ships 
richly laden, to which he did not offer the least 
violence, though he was strong enough to have 
done what he pleased with them ; and the first out- 
rage or depredation I find he committed upon man- 
kind, was after his repairing his ship, and leaving Jo- 
hanna : he touched at a place called Mabbee, upon 
the Red Sea, where he took some Guinea corn 
from the natives, by force. After this, he sailed to 
Bsb's Key, a place upon a little island at the 
entrance of the Red Sea. Here it was that he 
fcrst began to open himself to his ship's company, 
and let them understand that he intended to change 
his measures ; for, happening to talk of the Mocha 
fleet, which was to sail that way, he said, We have 
been unsuccessful hitherto ; but courage, my boys, 
we'll make our fortunes out of this fleet : and finding 
that none of them appeared averse to it, he ordered 
a boat out, well manned, to go upon the coast to 
make discoveries, commanding them to take a 
prisoner and bring to him, or get intelligence any 
way they could. The boat returned in a few days, 
bringing him word, that they saw fourteen or fifteen 
ships ready to sail, some with English, some with 
Dutch, and some with Moorish colours. 

We cannot account for this sudden change in his 
conduct, otherwise than by supposing that he first 
meant well, while he had hopes of making his for- 

6 



62 CAPTAIN KIDD. 

tune by taking of pirates ; but now weary of ill 
success, and fearing lest his owners, out of humour 
at their great expenses, should dismiss him, and he 
should want employment, and be marked out for an 
unlucky man ; rather, I say, than run the hazard of 
poverty, he resolved to do his business one way, 
since he could not do it another. 

He therefore ordered a man continually to watch 
at the mast head, lest this fleet should go by them ; 
and about four days after, towards evening, it 
appeared in sight, being convoyed by one English 
and one Dutch man of war. Kidd soon fell in with 
them, and getting into the midst of them, fired at a 
Moorish ship which was next him ; but the men of 
war taking the alarm, bore down upon Kidd, and 
firing upon him, obliged him to sheer off, he not 
being strong enough to contend with them. Now 
he had begun hostilities, he resolved to go on, and 
therefore he went and cruised along the coast 
of Malabar. The first prize he met was a small 
vessel belonging to Aden : the vessel was Moorish, 
and the owners were Moorish merchants, but the 
master was an Englishman ; his name was Parker. 
Kidd forced him and a Portuguese that was called 
Don Antonio, which Were all the Europeans on 
board, to take on with him ; the first he designed 
as a pilot, and the last as an interpreter. He also 
used the men very cruelly, causing them to be 
hoisted up by the arms, and drubbed with a naked 
cutlass, to force them to discover whether they had 
money on board, and where it lay ; but as they had 
neither gold nor silver on board, he got nothing by 
his cruelty ; however, he took from them a bale of 
pepper, and a bale of coffee, and so let them go. 

A little time after he touched at Carawar, a place 
upon the same coast, where, before he arrived, the 
news of what he had done to the Moorish ship had 
peached them ; for some of the English merchants 



CAPTAIN KIDD. 



63 



there had received an account of it from the own- 
ers, who corresponded with them : wherefore, as 
soon as Kidd came in, he was suspected to be the 
person who committed this piracy ; and one Mr. 
Harvey and Mr. Mason, two of the English factory, 
came on board and asked for Parker, and Antonio, 
the Portuguese ; but Kidd denied that he knew any 
such persons, having secured them both in a private 
place in the. hold, where they were kept for seven 
or eight days, that is, till Kidd sailed from thence. 

However, the coast was alarmed, and a Portu- 
guese man of war was sent out to cruise. Kidd 
met with her, and fought her about six hours, gal- 
lantly enough ; but finding her too strong to be 
taken, he quitted her ; for he was able to run away 
from her when he would. Then he went to a place 
called Porca, where he watered the ship, and bought 
a number of hogs of the natives to victual his company. 

Soon after this, he came up with a Moorish ship, 
the master whereof was a Dutchman, called Schip- 
per Mitchell, and chased her under French colours, 
which tlrey observing, hoisted French colours too ; 
when he came up with her, he hailed her in French, 
and they having a Frenchman on board ; answered 
him in the same language ; upon which he ordered 
them to send their boat on board ; they were obliged 
to do so, and having examined who they were, 
and from whence they came, he asked the French- 
man, who was a passenger, if he had a French pass 
for himself; the Frenchman gave him to under- 
stand that he had. Then he told the Frenchman 

he must pass for captain, and by , says he, you 

are the captain : the Frenchman durst not refuse 
doing as he would have him. The meaning of this 
was, that he would seize the ship as fair prize, and as 
if she had belonged to French subjects, according to 
a commission he had for that purpose ; though, one 
would think, after what he had already done, that 



64 CAPTAIN KIDD. 

he need not have recourse to a quibble to give his^ 
aqtions a colour. 

In short, he took the cargo, and sold it some 
time after ; yet still he seemed to have some fears 
upon him, lest these proceedings should have a 
bad end ; for, coming up with a Dutch ship some 
time after, when his men thought of nothing but at- 
tacking her, Kidd opposed it ; upon which a mutiny 
arose, and the majority being for taking the said 
ship, and arming themselves to man the boat to go 
and seize her, he told them, such as did, never 
should come on board him again ; which put an 
end to the design,' so that he kept company with 
the said ship some time, without offering her any 
violence. However, this dispute was the occasion 
of an accident, upon which an indictment was after- 
wards grounded against Kidd ; for Moor, the gun- 
ner, being one. day upon deck, and talking with 
Kidd, about the said Dutch ship, some words arose 
between them, and Moor told Kidd, that he had 
ruined them all; upon which, Kidd, calling him a 
dog, took up a bucket and struck him with it, which 
breaking his scull, he died the next day. 

But Kidd's penitential fit did not last long, for 
coasting along Malabar, he met with a great num- 
ber of boats, all which he plundered. Upon the 
same coast he also fell in with a Portuguese ship, 
which he kept possession of a week, and then hav- 
ing taken out of her some chests of India goods, 
thirty jars of butter, with some wax, iron, and a 
hundred bags of rice, he let her go. 

Much about the same time he went to one of the 
Malabar islands for wood and water, and his cooper 
being ashore, was murdered by the natives ; upon 
which Kidd himself landed, and burnt and pillaged 
several of their houses, the people running away ; 
but having taken one, he caused him to be tied to a 
tree, and commanded one of his men to shoot him ; 



CAFTAIN KIDD. 65 

then putting to sea again he took the greatest prize 
which fell into his hands while he followed this 
trade ; this was a Moorish ship of 400 tons, richly 
laden, named the Queda Merchant, the master 
whereof was an Englishman, by the name of 
Wright ; for the Indians often make use of English 
or Dutchmen to command their ships, their own 
mariners not being so good artists in navigation. 
Kidd chased her under French colours, and having 
come up with her, he ordered her to hoist out her 
boat, and to send on board of him, which being done, 
he told Wright he was his prisoner ; and infoi*nmg 
himself concerning the said ship, he understood 
there were no Europeans on aboard, except two 
Dutch, and one Frenchman, all the rest being In- 
dians or Armenians, and that the Armenians were 
part owners of the cargo. Kidd gave the Armeni- 
ans to understand, that if they would offer anything 
that was worth his taking' for their ransom, he 
would hearken to it. Upon which, they proposed- to 
pay him 20,000 rupees, not quite jCSOOO sterling; 
but Kidd judged this would be making a bad bar- 
gain, wherefore he rejected it, and setting the crew 
on shore, at different places on the coast, he soon 
sold as much of the cargo as came to ten thousand 
pounds. With part of it he also trafficked, receiving 
in exchange provisions, or such other goods as he 
wanted ; by degrees he disposed of the whole car- 
go, and when the division was made, it came to 
about £200 a man ; and having reserved forty 
shares to himself, his dividend amounted to about 
£8000 sterling. 

The Indians along the coast came on board and 
trafficked with all freedom, and he punctually per- 
formed his bargains, till about the time he was 
ready to sail ; and then thinking he should have no 
further occasion for them, he made no scruple of 

6* 



66 CAPTAIN KIDD. 

taking their goods, and setting them on shore with- 
out any payment in money or goods, which they 
little expected ; for as they had been used to deal 
with pirates, they always found them men of honour 
in the way of trade ; "a people, enemies to deceit, 
and that scorned to rob but in their own way. 

Kidd put some of his men on board the Queda 
Merchant, and with this ship and his own, sailed for 
Madagascar. As soon as he had arrived and cast 
anchor, there came on board of him a canoe, in 
which were several Englishmen, who had formerly 
been well acquainted with Kidd. As soon as they 
saw him they saluted him, and told him, they were 
informed he was come to take them, and hangthem, 
which would be a little unkind in such an old ac- 
quaintance. Kidd soon dissipated their doubts, by 
swearing he had no such design, and that he was 
now in every respect their brother, and just as bad 
as they ; and calling for a - cup of bomboo, drank 
their captain's health. 

These men belonged to a pirate ship, called the 
Resolution, formerly the Mocha Merchant, whereof 
one Capt. Culliford was commander, and which lay 
at an anchor not far from them. Kidd went on board 
with them, promising them his friendship and assist- 
ance, and Culliford in his turn came on board of 
Kidd ; and Kidd, to testify his sincerity in iniquity, 
finding Culliford in want of some necessaries, made 
him a present of an anchor and some guns, to fit 
him out for sea again. 

The Adventure galley was now so old and leaky, 
that they were forced to keep two pumps continu- 
ally going ; wherefore Kidd shifted all the guns and 
tackle out of her into the Queda Merchant, intend- 
ing her for his man of war ; and as he had divided the 
money before, he now made a division of the re- 
mainder of the cargo : soon after which, the great- 



CAPTAIN KIDD. 67 

est part of the company left him, some going on 
board Capt. Culliford, and others absconding into 
the country, so that he had not above 40 men left 

He put to sea, and happened to touch at Amboy- 
na, one of the Dutch spice islands, where he was 
told, that the news of his actions had reached Eng- 
land, and that he was there declared a pirate. 

The truth of it is, his piracies so alarmed our 
merchants, that some motions were made in parlia- 
ment, to inquire into the commission that was given 
him, and the persons who fitted him out. These 
proceedings seemed to lean a little hard upon Lord 
Bellamont, who thought himself so much touched 
thereby, that he published a justification of himself 
in a pamphlet, after Kidd's execution. In the mean 
time it was thought advisable, in order to stop the 
course of these piracies, to publish a proclamation, 
offering the king's free pardon to all such pirates as 
should voluntarily surrender themselves, whatever 
piracies they had been guilty of, at any time before 
the last day of April, 1699 — that is to say, for all 
piracies committed eastward of the Cape of Good 
Hope, to the longitude and meridian of Socatora, 
and Cape Cormorin; in which proclamation, Avery 
and Kidd were excepted by name. 

When Kidd left Amboyna he knew nothing of 
this proclamation, for certainly had he had notice of 
his being excepted in it, he would not have been so 
infatuated, as to run himself into the very jaws of 
danger; but relying upon his interest with the lord 
Bellamont, and fancying that a French pass or two 
he found on board some of the ships he took, would 
serve to countenance the matter, and that part of 
the booty he got would gain him new friends— I say, 
all these things made him flatter himself that all 
would be hushed, and that justice would but wink 
at him. — Wherefore he sailed directly for New- York, 
where he was no sooner arrived, but by the lord 



68 CAPTAIN KIDD. 

Bellamont's orders, he was secured with all his pa- 
pers and effects. Many of his fellow-adventurers, 
who had forsook him at Madagascar, came over 
from thence passengers, some to New-England, and 
some to Jersey; where hearing of the king's proc- 
lamation for pardoning of pirates, they surrendered 
themselves to the governor of those places. At 
first they were admitted to bail, but soon after laid 
in strict confinement, where they were kept for some 
time, till an opportunity happened of sending them 
with their captain over to England to be tried. 

Accordingly a sessions of admiralty being held 
at the Old Bailey, in May, 1701, Capt. Kidd, Nicholas 
Churchill, James How, Robert Lumley, William 
Jenkins, Gabriel Loff, Hugh Parrot, Richard Barli- 
com, Abel Owens, and Darby Mulling, were arraign- 
ed for piracy and robbery on the high seas, and all 
found guilty except three: these were Robert Lum- 
ley, William Jenkins, and Richard Barlicorn, who 
proving themselves to be apprentices to some of 
the officers of the ship, and producing their inden- 
tures in court, were acquitted. 

The .three above mentioned, though they were 
proved to be concerned in taking and sharing the 
ship and goods mentioned in the indictment, yet, as 
the gentlemen of the long robe rightly distinguish- 
ed, there was a great difference between their cir- 
cumstances and the rest; for there must go an in- 
tention of the mind and a freedom of the will to the 
committing an act of felony or piracy. A pirate is 
not to be understood to be under constraint, but a 
free agent; for in this case, the bare act will not 
make a man guilty, unless the will make it so. 

Now a servant, it is true, if he go voluntarily, and 
have his proportion, he must be accounted a pirate, 
for then he acts upon his own account, and not by 
compulsion; and these persons, according to the 
evidence, received their part, but whether they ac 



CAPTAIN KIDD. 69 

counted to their masters for their shares afterwards, 
is the matter in question, and what distinguishes 
them as free agents or men, that did go under the 
compulsion of their masters, which being left to the 
consideration of the jury, they found them not 
guilty. 

Kidd was tried upon an indictment of murder also, 
viz. for killing Moor, the gunner, and found guilty 
of the same. Nicholas Churchill, and James How 
pleaded the king's pardon, as having surrendered 
themselves within the time limited in the proclama- 
tion, and Col. Bass, governor of West- Jersey, to 
whom they surrendered, being in court, and called 
upon, proved the same. However, this plea was 
over-ruled by the court, because there being four 
commissioners named in the proclamation, viz. Capt 
Thomas Warren, Israel Hayes, Peter Delannoye, 
and Christopher Pollard, Esquires, who were ap- 
pointed commissioners, and sent over on purpose 
to receive the submissions of such pirates as should 
surrender, it was adjudged no other person was 
qualified to receive their surrender, and that they 
could not be entitled to the benefit of the said proc- 
lamation, because they had not in all circumstances 
complied with the conditions of it. 

Darby Mullins urged in his defence, that he served 
under the king's commission, and therefore could 
not disobey his commander without incurring great 
punishments ; that whenever a ship or ships went 
out upon any expedition under the king's commis- 
sion, the men were never allowed to call their offi- 
cers to an account, why they did this, or why they 
did that, because such a liberty would destroy all 
discipline : that if any thing was done which was 
unlawful, the officers were to answer it, for the men 
did no more than their duty in obeying orders. Ho 
was told by the court, that acting under the com- 
mission justified in what was lawful, but not in what 



70 CAPTAIN KIDD. 

was unlawful. He answered, he stood in need of 
nothing to justify him in what was lawful, but the 
case of seamen must be very hard, if they must be 
brought into such danger for obeying the commands 
of their officers, and punished for not obeying them; 
and if they were allowed to dispute the orders, there 
could be no such thing as command kept up at sea. 

This seemed to be the best defence the thing ' 
could bear ; but his taking a share of the plunder, 
the seamen's mutinying on board several times, and 
taking upon them to control the captain, showed 
there was no obedience paid to the commission; 
and that they acted in all things according to the 
custom of pirates and free-booters, which weighing 
with the jury, they brought him in guilty with the 
rest. 

As to Capt. Kidd's defence, he insisted much on 
his own innocence, and the villany of his men. He 
said, he went out in a laudable employment and had 
no occasion, being then in good circumstances, to 
go a pirating; that the men often mutinied against 
him, and did as they pleased ; that he was threat- 
ened to be shot in the cabin, and that ninety-five 
left him at one time, and set fire to his boat, so that 
he was disabled from bringing his ship home, or the 
prizes he took, to have them regularly condemned, 
which he said were taken by virtue of a commis- 
sion under the broad seal, they having French pass- 
es. The captain called one Col. Hewson to his 
reputation, who gave him an extraordinary charac- 
ter, and declared to the court, that he had served 
under his command, and been in two engagements 
with him against the French, in which he fought as 
well as any man he ever saw ; that there were only 
Kidd's ship and his own against Monsieur du Cass, 
who commanded a squadron of six sail, and they 
got the better of him. But this being several years 
before the facts mentioned ir> the indictment were 



CAPTAIN KIBD. 7i 

committed, proved of no manner of service to the 
prisoner on his trial. 

As to the friendship shown to Culliford, a notori- 
ous pirate, Kidd denied, and said, he intended to 
have taken him, but his men being a parcel of 
rogues and villains refused to stand by him, and 
several of them ran away from his ship to the said 
pirate. — But the evidence being full and particular 
against him, he was found guilty as before men- 
tioned. 

When Kidd was asked what he had to say why 
sentence should not pass against him, he answered, 
that he had nothing to say, but that he had been 
sworn against by perjured and wicked people. And 
when sentence was pronounced, he said, my Lord, 
it is a very hard sentence. For my part, I am the 
most innocent person of them all, only I have been 
sworn against by perjured persons. 

Wherefore about a week after, Capt. Kidd, Nicho- 
las Churchill, James How, Gabriel LofF, Hugh Par- 
rot, Abel Owen, and Darby Mullins, were executed 
at Execution Dock, and afterwards hung up in 
chains, at some distance from each other, down the 
river, where their bodies hung exposed for many 
years. 



72 CAPTAIN TEW. 

* CAPTAIN TEW. 



Before I enter on the adventures of this pirate, I 
must take notice to the reader of the reasons which 
made me not continue the life of Misson. 

In reading the notes, which I have by me, relating 
to Capt. Tew, I found him joined with Misson ; and 
that I must be either guilty of repetition, or give an 
account of Tew in Misson's life, which is contrary to 
the method I proposed, that of giving a distinct rela- 
tion of every pirate who has made any figure : and 
surely Tew, in point of gallantry, was inferior to 
none, and may justly claim a particular account of 
his actions. However, before I enter on the life of 
this pirate, I shall continue that of Misson to the 
time that these two commanders met. 

The blacks seeing them so much on their guard, 
brought out boiled rice and fowls, and after they had 
satisfied their hunger, the chief made signs that they 
were the same who had carried a negro to their 
ships, and sent for the axe and piece of baize they 
had given him. While this passed, the very negro 
came from hunting, who seemed overjoyed to see 
them. The chief made signs that they might return, 
and ten negroes coming to them laden with fowls 
and kids, he gave them to understand, they should 
accompany them to their ships with these presents. 
They parted very amicably, and in hopes of settling 
a good correspondence with these natives. All the 
houses were neatly framed and jointed, not built 
from any foundation, but so made, that half a dozen 
men could lift and transport them from place to 
place. The hunters, returning to their ships, with 
these presents and negroes, were joyfully received ; 
and the negroes were not only caressed, but laden 



CAPTAIN TEW. 73 

with baize, iron kettles, and rum, besides the present 
of a cutlass for the chief. 

While the negroes stayed, which was the space 
of three days, they examined and admired the forts 
and growing town, in which all hands were busied, 
and not even the prisoners excused. 

As Misson apprehended no danger from the land, 
his fort, though of wood, being, he thought, a suffi- 
cient defence to his infant colony, he took 160 hands, 
and went a second time on the coast of Zangue 7 
and off Quiloa he gave chase to a large ship, which 
lay by for him. She proved an over-match for the 
Victoire, which engaged her, with great loss of men, 
near eight glasses ; but finding he was more likely 
to be taken, than to make a prize, by the advice of 
his officers and men, endeavoured to leave the 
Portuguese, which was a 50 gun ship, and had 300 
men on board ; but he found this attempt vain, for 
the Portuguese sailed as well as the Victoire, and 
her commander, who was a resolute and brave man, 
seeing him endeavour to shake him offj clapped him 
on board, but lost most of the men he entered. 
Misson's crew, not used to be attacked, and expect- 
ing no quarter, fought so desperately, that they not 
only thoroughly cleared their decks, but some of 
them followed the i Portuguese, who leaped into 
their own ship ; which Misson seeing, hoped to 
make an advantage of their despair, and. crying out, 
Elle est a nous, a Vabordage — She's our own, board, 
board her — so many of his men followed the few, 
that hardly were there enough left to work the ship. 
Misson, observing the resolution of his men, grap- 
pled the Portuguese ship, and leaped on board him- 
self, crying out, la mort, on la victoire— death or 
victory. The Portuguese, who thought themselves in 
a manner conquerors, seeing the enemy not only 
drive off those who entered them, but board with 
such resolution, began to quit the decks in spite of 

7 



74 CAPTAIN TEW. 

their officers. The captain and Misson met, as he was 
endeavouring to hinder the flight of his men : they 
engaged with equal bravery with their cutlasses : but 
Misson, striking him on the neck, he fell down the 
main hatch, which put an end to the fight, for the 
Portuguese seeing their captain fall, threw down 
their arms, and called for quarters, which was 
granted ; arid all the prisoners without distinction 
being ordered between decks, and the powder rooms 
secured, he put 35 men on board the prize, and 
made the best of his way for Libertatia. This was 
the dearest prize he ever made, for he lost 56 men. 
She was vastly rich in gold, having near £200,000 
sterling on board, being her own and the cargo of 
her companion, which was lost upon the coast, of 
whose crew she had saved one hundred men out of 
120, the rest being lost by endeavouring to swim 
ashore. This was the reason that the prize was so 
well manned, and proved so considerable. 

Being within sight of Madagascar, they spied a 
sloop which stood for them, and when in gun shot, 
threw out black colours, and fired a gun to wind- 
ward. Misson brought too, fired another to leeward, 
and hoisted out his boat, which the sloop perceiving, 
lay by for. Misson's lieutenant went on board, 
and was received very civilly by Capt. Tew, who 
was the commander, to whom the lieutenant 
gave a short account of their adventures and new 
settlement, inviting him very kindly on board Capt. 
Misson. Tew told him, he could not consent to go 
with him till he had the opinion of his men. In the 
mean while, Misson, coming along side, hailed the 
sloop, and invited the captain on board, desiring his 
lieutenant would stay as a hostage, if they were in 
the least jealous of him, which they had no reason 
to be, since he was of force so much superior, that 
he need not employ stratagem. This determined 
;the company on board the sloop, who advised their 



CAPTTAIN TEW. fS 

captain to go with the lieutenant, whom they would 
not suffer to stay behind, to show the greater confi- 
dence in their new friends. 

My reader may be surprised that a single sloop 
should venture to give chase to two ships of such 
countenance as were the Victoire and her prize ; 
but this wonder will cease, when he is acquainted 
with the sequel. 

Capt. Tew, after being handsomely regaled on 
board the Victoire, and thoroughly satisfied, return- 
ed on board his sloop, gave an account of what he 
had learned, and his men consenting, he gave 
orders to steer the same course with Misson, whose 
settlement it was agreed to visit. I shall here leave 
them to give an account of Capt. Tew. 

Mr. Richier, governor of Bermuda, fitted out 
two sloops on the privateer account, commanded by 
Capt. George Drew, and Capt. Thomas Tew, with 
instructions to make the best of their way to the 
river Gambia, in Africa, and there, with the advice 
and assistance of the agent for the royal African 
company, to attempt the taking the French factory 
of Goree on that coast. 

The above commanders having their commis- 
sions and instructions from the governor, took their 
departure from Bermuda, and kept company some 
time ; but Drew springing his mast, and a violent 
storm coming upon them, they lost each other. 

Tew being separated from his consort, thought 
of providing for his future ease, by making one bold 
push ; and accordingly, calling all hands on deck, he 
spoke to them to this purpose. 

" That they were not ignorant of the design 
with which the governor fitted them out ; the 
taking and destroying the French factory ; that he, 
indeed, readily agreed to take a commission to 
this end, though contrary to his judgment, because 
it was for the sake of being employed ; but that he 



7G CAPTAIN TEW. 

ught it a very injudicious expedition, which, did 
they succeed in, would be of no use to the public, 
and only be of advantage to a private company of 
men, from whom they could expect no reward for 
V ?ir bravery ; that he could see nothing but danger 
in the undertaking, without the least prospect of 
ty ; that he could not suppose any man fond of 
fighting for fighting's sake ; and few ventured their 
with some view .either of particular inte- 
rest or public good : but here was not the least 
appearance of either. Wherefore, he was of opinion, 
that they should turn their thoughts on what might 
better their circumstances ; and if they were so 
,d; he would undertake to shape a course 
ich should lead them to ease and plenty, in which 
light pass the rest of their days. That one 
bold pushi would do their business, and they might 
return home, not only without danger, but even with 
reputation." The crew finding he expected their 
:Iutlon, cried out, one and all, "Jl gold chain or 
a tcooden leg — we'll stand by you" 

Hearing this, he desired they would choose a 
quarter-master, who might consult with him for the 
common good ; which was accordingly done. 

I must acquaint the reader, that on board the 
West-India privateers and free-booters, the quarter- 
master's opinion is like the Mufti's among the 
Turks: the captain can undertake nothing which 
the quarter-master does not approve, We may say 
the quarter-master is a humble imitation of the 
Roman tribune of the people ; he speaks for, and 
looks after the interest of the crew. 

Tew, now, instead of proceeding on his? voyage 
to Gambia, shaped his course for the Cape of Good 
Hope, which doubling, he steered for the straits of 
Babelmandel, entering into the Red Sea, where 
they came up with a lofty ship bound from the 



CAPTAIN TEW. 77 

Indies to Arabia ; she was richly laden, and as she 
was to clear the coasts of rovers, five more, extremely 
rich (one especially in gold) being to follow her, 
she had 300 soldiers on board, besides her seamen. 

Tew, on making this ship, told his men she carried 
their fortunes, which they would find no difficulty to 
take possession of; for though he was satisfied she 
was full of men, and was mounted with a great 
number of guns, they wanted the two things neces- 
sarv, skill and courage : and, indeed, so it proved, 
for he boarded and carried her without loss, every 
one taking more care to run from danger, than to 
exert himself in the defence of his goods. 

In rummaging this prize, the pirates threw over a 
great many rich bales, to search for gold, silver, 
and jewels; and having taken what they thought 
proper, together with the powder, part o^ which (as 
being more than they could handsomely stow) they 
threw into the sea/they left her, sharing £3000 
sterling a man. 

Encouraged by this success, Capt Tew proposed 
going in quest of the other five ships, of which he 
had intelligence from the prize ; but the quarter- 
master opposing him, he was obliged to drop the 
design, and steer for Madagascar. 

Here the quarter-master finding this island pro- 
ductive of all the necessaries of life ; and the air 
was wholesome, the soil fruitful, and the sea abound- 
ing with fish, proposed settling : but only three and 
twenty of the crew came into the proposal: the 
rest stayed with Captain Tew, who having given the 
new settlers their share of plunder, designed to 
return to America, as they afterwards did ; but spy- 
ing the Victoire and her prize, he thought he might, 
by their means, return somewhat richer, and resolv- 
ed to speak with them, as I have already said. 

Tew and his company having taken the above 

7* 



76 CAPTAIN TEW. 

resolution of visiting Mons. Misson's colony, ar- 
rived with him, and was not a little surprised to see 
his fortifications. 

When they came under the first fort, they saluted 
it with nine guns, and were answered by an equal 
number. All the prisoners, at their coming to an 
anchor, were suffered to come up, a privilege they 
had never before granted them, on account of the 
few hands left them, except two or three at a time. 

The joy those ashore expressed at the sight of so 
considerable a prize as they judged her at first sight. 
was vastly allayed, when they heard how dear a 
purchase she had proved to them. However, the 
reinforcement of the sloop made some amends. 
Capt. Tew was received by Caraccioli and the rest, 
with great civility and respect, who did not a little 
admire his courage, both in attacking the prize he 
made, and afterwards in giving chase to Misson. 
He was called to the council of officers, which was 
immediately held, to consider what methods should 
be taken with the prisoners, who were, by 190 
brought in by this new prize, near as numerous as 
those of his own party, though Tew joined them 
with 70 men. It was therefore resolved to keep 
them separate from the Portuguese and English, 
who were before taken, to make them believe they 
were in amity with a prince of the natives, who was 
very powerful, and to propose to them, at their 
choice, the assisting the new colony in their works, 
or being sent prisoners up the country, if they re- 
jected entering in with them. Seventy-three took 
on, and the rest desired they might be any way em- 
ployed rather than be sent up the country; 117 then 
were set to work upon a dock, which was laid out 
about half a mile above the mouth of the harbour, 
and the other prisoners were forbid to pass such 
bounds as were prescribed them on pain of death; 
lest they, knowing their own strength, should re- 



CAPTAIN TEW. 79 

volt; for I must acquaint the reader, that on the ar- 
rival of the Victoire, both their loss and the num- 
ber of Portuguese they brought in, was known to 
none but themselves, and the number of those who 
came over, magnified; besides, the Johanna men 
were all armed and disciplined, and the Bijoux lay 
as a guard-ship, where the last prisoners were set 
to work ; but while they provided for their secu- 
rity, both within and without, they did not neglect 
providing also for their support, for they dug and 
sowed a larg'e plat of ground with Indian and Eu- 
ropean corn, and other seeds which they found on 
board their prizes, In the mean while, fcaraccioli, 
who had the art of persuasion, wrought on many 
of the Portuguese, who saw no hopes of returning 
home, to join them. Misson, who could not be easy 
in an inactive life, would have taken another cruise*; 
but fearing the revolt of the prisoners, durst not 
weaken the colony by the hands he must neces- 
sarily take with him. Wherefore, he proposed giv- 
ing the last prize to, and sending away the prison- 
ers. Caraccioli and Capt. Tew were against it, say- 
ing, that it would discover their retreat, and cause 
their being attacked by the Europeans, who had 
settlements along the continent, before they were 
able to defend themselves. Misson replied, he 
could not bear to be always diffident of those about 
him ; that it was better to die at once, than live in 
continual apprehensions of death : that the time was 
come for sending away the Johanna men, and that 
they could not go without a ship ; neither durst he 
trust a ship out, not well manned, nor man her while 
so many prisoners were with him. Wherefore there 
was a necessity of sending them off, or of putting 
them all to the sword ; a barbarity by which he 
would not purchase his security. A council was 
called, and what Capt. Misson had proposed, agreed 
to. The prisoners" were then summoned, and he 



80 CAPTAIN TEW. 

told them, in few words, that he knew the conse- 
quence of giving them liberty; that he expected to 
be attacked as soon as the place of his retreat was 
known, and had it in his hands by putting them to 
death, to avoid the doubtful fate of war; but his hu- 
manity would not suffer him to entertain a thought 
so cruel, and his alliances with the natives, he hoped, 
would enable him to repel his assailants; but he re- 
quired an oath of every one, that he should not 
serve against him. He then inquired mto the cir- 
cumstances of every particular man, and what they 
had lost, all which he returned, telling the company 
it should be reckoned as part of his share ; and the 
prisoners, that he did not make war with the op- 
pressed, but the oppressors. The prisoners were 
charmed with this mark of generosity and wished 
he might never meet a treatment unworthy of that 
he gave them. The ship being victualled for a voy- 
age to the coast of Zanguebar, all her guns and 
ammunition taken out, with the spare sails, and 
spare rigging, all were ordered to be gone; and 137 
departed, highly applauding the behaviour of their 
enemies. All this while they had heard nothing 
from the natives, nor had the hunting parties met 
with any of them, which made Misson suspect they 
were afraid of his being their neighbour, and had 
shifted their quarters; but as the Johanna men 
were upon going away, there came about 50 ne- 
groes to them, driving about 100 head of black cat- 
tle, 20 negro men bound, and 25 women, for which 
cattle and prisoners they bartered rum, hatchets, 
baize, and beads; some hogsheads of which last 
commodity they had taken on the coast of Angola. 
Here the negroes belonging to Misson were pro- 
vided with wives : the natives were caressed, and 
to the slaves signs made that their liberty was given 
them : they were immediately clothed and put un- 
der the care of as many whites, who, by all possi- 




CAPTAIN TEW. ' 81 

ble demonstrations, endeavoured to make them un- 
derstand that they were enemies to slavery. The 
natives stayed ten days, which retarded the depart- 
ure of the Johanna men; but, upon their retiring, 
the Bijoux sailed with 100 of them on board, under 
the command of Caraccioli's lieutenant, who ex- 
cused the keeping them longer than was promised, 
and not bringing them at once, having no more than 
two ships. The Portuguese ship, which was un- 
rigged, being made a hulk, the ten men of Misson's 
company who had settled at Johanna, being desirous 
to return, were brought to Libertatia with their 
wives (of which they had two or three a piece) and 
their children. The Bijoux, at two more voyages, 
carried over the rest of the Johannians. 

Misson hove down the Bijoux, and resolving on 
a cruise on the coast of Guinea, to strengthen his 
colony by the capture of some slaving ship, he gave 
the command of her to Capt. Tew, and he and Ca- 
raccioli pressed the work of the. dock. He gave 
him also 200 hands, of which 40 were Portuguese, 
37 negroes, 17 of them expert sailors, 30 English, 
and the rest French. Tew met with nothing in his 
way, till he came to the northward of the Cape of 
Good Hope, when he fell in with a Dutch East-India 
galley of 18 guns, which he took after a small re- 
sistance, and with the loss of one man only. On 
the coast of Angola he took an English Guinea- 
map with 240 slaves, men, women, and boys. The 
negroes, who had before been taken on this coast, 
found among these a great many of their acquaint- 
ance, and several of their relations, to whom they 
reported their unexpected change of fortune, the 
great captain (for so they now called Misson) hav- 
ing humanely knocked off their chains, and of slaves 
made them free men, and sharers in his fortunes : 
that the same good fortune had attended them in 
their falling into his hands, for he abhorred even the 



s 



82 CAPTAIN TEW. 

name of slavery. Tew, following the orders and 
acquainted with the policy of Misson, ordered their 
fetters and handcuffs to be taken off, upon his negro 
sailors assuring him they would riot revolt, and were 
sensible of their happiness in falling into his hands. 
Content with these prizes, he made the best of his 
way home to Libertatia where he arrived without 
any sinister accident ; but I forgot to tell my reader, 
that he set his Dutch prisoners (nine excepted, who 
took on with him) ashore, about 30 miles to the 
northward of the Cape in Saldanha Bay, where had 
been buried, by Captain Misson, the English com- 
mander. He found a great quantity of English 
crowns on board his Dutch prize, which were car- 
ried into the, common treasury; money being of no 
use where every thing was in common, and no 
hedge bounded any particular man's property. The 
slaves he had released in this last cruise were em- 
ployed in perfecting the dock, and treated on the 
foot of free people. They were not ignorant of the 
change of their condition, and were therefore ex- 
tremely diligent and faithful. A white man, or one 
of the old standing negroes, wrought with every 
four, and made them understand the French words 
(by often repetition, and the help of their country- 
men's interpreting) used in their works. Misson 
ordered a couple of sloops to be built in a creek, of 
eighty tons each, which he mounted with eight guns 
a piece, out of the Dutch prize. These were per- 
fected in a little time, and proved not only shapely 
vessels, but excellent sailers. The officers of these 
sloops were chosen by balloting, and as their first 
design was only to discover and lay down a chart of 
the coast, sands, shoals, and depths of water round 
the island of Madagascar, the school-master being 
sent for that reason with the command of one, Tew 
desired and had the other. They were manned, 
each sloop with 50 white and 50 black men ; which 



CAPTAIN TEW. 83 

voyage round the island was of vast advantage in 
giving the new released Angola negroes a notion of 
working a vessel ; — and they were very industrious 
both in endeavouring to learn the French language, 
and to be useful. These sloops, the one of which 
was called the Childhood, and the other the Liberty, 
were near four months on this expedition. In the 
mean while, a few of the natives had come often to 
the settlement, and began to speak a little French, 
mixed with the other European languages, which 
they heard among Misson's people, and six of the 
native families fixed among them, which was of vast 
use to the planters of this colony; for they made a 
very advantageous report to their countrymen of 
the regularity and harmony they observed in them. 
The sloops having returned, and an exact chart 
taken of the coast, Caraccioli had a mind for a 
cruise. He proposed visiting all the neighbouring 
islands, and accordingly went out to Mascarenhas, 
and the other islands near it, taking one half of his 
crew of negroes, and returned with a Dutch prize, 
which he took off the above mentioned island, where 
they were about fixing a colony. This prize, as it 
had on board all sorts of European goods, and ne- 
cessaries for settling, was more valuable than if it 
had been vastly richer. The negroes growing use- 
ful hands, Misson resolved on a cruise to the north- 
ward, encouraged by Tew's success ; and with all 
the blacks, which he divided between the two ships, 
one of which Capt. Tew commanded, set out with 
500 men. Off the coast of Arabia Felix, they fell 
in with a ship belonging to the Great Mogul, bound 
for Zidon, with pilgrims to Mecca, who, with Moor 
mariners, made up the number of 1600 souls. This 
ship carried 110 guns, but made a very poor de- 
fence, being encumbered with the goods and num- 
ber of passengers they carried. The two adven- 
turers did not think it their business to cannonade : 



84 CAPTAIN TEW. 

tfrey therefore boarded as soon as they came up 
with her, and the Moors no sooner saw them en- 
tered, but they discharged one volley of small arms 
at random, we may suppose, because no execution 
was done, and fled the decks. Being masters of 
this ship, which did not cost them a single man, they 
consulted what they should do with her, and the 
prisoners, and it was resolved to set them ashore 
between Ain and Aden. 

They now made the best of their way for Mada- 
gascar, putting 200 hands on board the prize, which 
proved a very heavy sailer, and retarded them very 
much. Off the Cape Guarde Fin they were over- 
taken with a cruel storm, which was near wrecking 
them on the island called Irmanos ; but the wind 
coming about due north, they had the good luck to 
escape this danger. Though the fury of the wind 
abated, yet it blew so hard for twelve days together, 
that they could only carry their coursers reefed. 
They spied a sail in their passage, but the weather 
would not permit their endeavouring to speak with 
her. In a word, they returned to Libertatia with 
their prize, without any other accident ; but the 
captors could make no estimate of her value, she 
having on board a vast quantity of diamonds, besides 
rich silks, raw silks, spices, carpets, wrought and bar 
gold. The prize was taken to pieces, as she was of 
no use ; her cordage and knee timber preserved, 
with all the bolts, eyes, chains, and other iron 
work, and her guns planted on two points of the 
harbour, where they raised batteries, so that they 
were now so strongly fortified they apprehended no 
danger from any number of shipping which could be 
brought into those seas to attack them. They had, 
by this time, cleared, sown, and enclosed a good 
parcel of ground, and taken in a quantity of pas- 
turage, where they had above 300 head of black 
cattle, bought of the natives. The dock was now 



CAPTAIN TEW. 85 

finished, and the Victoire growing old and unfit for a 
long voyage, and the last storm having shook and 
loosened her very much, she was pulled to pieces 
and rebuilt, keeping the same name. She was 
rigged, victualled, and fit to go to sea, and was to sail 
to the coast of Guinea for more negroes, when one 
of the sloops came in, which had been sent out 
rather to exercise the negroes, than with any view 
of making a prize, and brought word that five lofty 
ships chased her into the bay, and stood for their 
harbour ; that she judged them to be Portuguese by 
their built, and 50 gun ships, full of men. This 
proved the real truth. The alarm was given, the 
forts and batteries manned, and every man stood to 
his arms. Misson took upon him the command of 
100 negroes, who were well disciplined, (for every 
morning they had been used to perform their exer- 
cise, which was taught them by a French sergeant, 
one of their company, who belonged to the Victoire) 
to be ready where his assistance should be required. 
Tew commanded all the English. They had hardly 
ordered their affairs when these ships hove in sight, 
and stood directly for the harbour with Portuguese 
colours. They were warmly received by the two 
forts, which did not stop them, though it brought one 
of them on the careen. They entered the harbour, 
and thought they had done their business, but were 
saluted so warmly from the forts and batteries, 
sloops and ships, that two of them sunk downright, 
and a great many men were drowned, though some 
got on board the other ships. The Portuguese, who 
did not imagine they had been so well fortified, and 
thought in passing the two forts they should without 
difficulty land their men, and easily root out this nest 
of pirates, found now their mistake, for they durst 
not venture to hoist out a boat. They had wisely, 
however, contrived to enter just before the , turn of 
the tide. Finding the attempt vain, and that they 

8 



86 CAPTAIN TEW. 

had lost a great many men, they clapped upon a 
wind, and with the help of the tide of ebb, made 
more haste out than they did to get in, leaving two 
of their ships sunk in the harbour ; but they did not 
get off so cheaply, for no sooner were they clear of 
the forts, but Misson, manning with the utmost ex- 
pedition both the ships and sloops, gave them chase, 
and engaged them at the mouth of the bay. The 
Portuguese defended themselves with a great deal 
of gallantry, and one of them beat off the Liberta- 
tians twice, who boarded them from the two sloops ; 
two of them, finding themselves hard pressed, made 
a running fight, and got off, and left the third to 
shift as well as she could. The Bijoux and Victoire 
finding the Portuguese endeavoured to clear them- 
selves, and knowing there was little to-be got by 
the captures, gave over the chase, and fell upon the 
third, who defended himself till his decks swam 
with blood, and the greater number of his men 
killed ; but finding all resistance vain, and that he 
was left to an unequal fight by his companions, he 
called for quarter, and good quarter was given, both 
to himself and men. This prize yielded them a 
great quantity of powder and shot, and, indeed, they 
expected nothing of value out of her. None of the 
prisoners were stripped, and the officers, Misson, 
Caraccioli, and Tew invited to their tables, treating 
them very civilly, and extolling the courage they 
had shown in their defence. Unhappily two prison- 
ers were found on board, who had been released, 
and had sworn never to serve against them ; these 
were clapped in irons, and publicly tried for their 
perjury. The Portuguese officers being present, 
the witnesses proved them the very discharged 
men, and they were condemned to be hanged at 
the point of each fort ; which execution was per- 
formed the next morning after their condemnation, 
with the assistance of the Portuguese chaplain, who 



CAPTAIN TEW. 8*? 

attended, confessed, and absolved them. This was 
the engagement with the pirates, which made so 
much noise in the Lisbon Gazette, and these the 
men whom the English ignorantly took for Avery ; 
who, we had a notion here in London, had 32 sail of 
men of war, and had taken upon himself the state 
and title of king. 

This execution seeming to impugn the maxims 
of the chiefs, Caraccioli made an harangue, in which 
he told them, " that there was no rule could be laid 
.down which did not allow exceptions : that they 
were all sensible how tender the Commodore 
Monsieur Misson, was in shedding blood ; and that 
it was a tenet of his faith, that none had power over 
the life of another, but God alone who gave it ; but 
notwithstanding, self-preservation sometimes made 
it absolutely necessary to take away the life of 
another, especially an avowed and obliged enemy, 
even in cool blood. As to the blood shed in a law- 
ful war, in defence of that liberty they had gene- 
rously asserted, it was needless to say any thing, but 
he thought it proper to lay before them reasons for 
the execution of the criminals, and the heinousness 
of their crimes. They had not only received their 
lives from the bounty of the Libertatians, but their 
liberty, and had every thing restored them which 
they laid claim to ; consequently their ingratitude 
rose in proportion to the generous treatment they 
had met with : that indeed, both he and Capt. Mis- 
son would have, passed by the perjury and ingrati- 
tude which they had been guilty of, with a corporeal 
punishment, which had not extended to the depriva- 
tion of life, but their gallant friend and companion, 
the English commander, Capt. Tew, used such 
cogent reasons for an exemplary punishment, to 
deter others from the like crimes, that they must 
have been enemies to their own preservation in not 
following his advice : that the lives of their whole 



88 CAPTAIN TEW. 

body ought to be preferred to those of declared and 
perjured enemies, who would not cease to endea- 
vour their ruin ; and, as they were well acquainted 
with their settlement, might be fatal instruments of 
it, if they were again restored to that liberty which 
they had already abused : that he was obliged to do 
Capt. Tew the justice* to acknowledge he was 
inclined to the side of mercy, till he was thoroughly 
informed of the blackness of their ingratitude, and 
then he thought it would be cruelty to themselves 
to let those miscreants experience a second time 
their clemency. Thus an absolute necessity had 
obliged them to act contrary to their declared" prin- 
ciples ; though, to state the case rightly, these men, 
not the Libertatians, were the authors of their own 
deaths." Here the assembly crying out, "their 
Mood is on their own heads, they sought their deaths, 
and hanging is too good for them ;" Caraccioli gave 
over, and every one returned satisfied to his private 
or the public affairs. 

Some difference? arising between Misson's and 
Tew's men, on a national quarrel, which the latter 
began, Capt. Tew proposed their deciding the quar- 
rel by the sword ; but Caraccioli was entirely against 
it, alleging, that such a decision must necessarily 
be a damage to the public, since the brave men 
who fell, would be a weakening of their colony. He 
therefore desired Capt. Tew to interpose the authori- 
ty he had over his crew, and he and Misson would 
endeavour to bring their men to an amicable agree- 
ment ; and for the future, as this accident proved 
the necessity, wholesome laws should be made, and 
a form of government entered upon. Both parties 
were therefore called, and Caraccioli showed them 
the necessity of their living in unity among them- 
selves, who had the whole world for* enemies ; and 
as he had a persuasive and insinuating way of argu- 



CAPTAIN TEW. 89 

ment, with the assistance of Capt. Tew, this affair 
was ended to the satisfaction of both parties. 

The next day the whole colony was assembled, 
and the three commanders proposed a form of go- 
vernment, as necessary to their conservation ; for 
where there was no coercive laws, the weakest 
would always be the sufferers, and every thing 
must tend to confusion : that men's passions, blind- 
ing them to justice, and making them ever partial 
to themselves, they ought to submit the differences 
which might arise to calm and disinterested persons, 
who could examine with temper, and determine 
according to reason and equity : that they looked 
upon a democratical form, where the people were 
themselves the makers and judges of their own 
laws, the most agreeable ; and therefore, desired 
they would divide themselves into companies of ten 
men, and every such company choose one to assist 
in settling a form of government, and in making 
wholesome laws for the good of the whole : that the 
treasure and cattle they were masters of should be 
equally divided, and such lands as any particular 
man would enclose, should, for the future, be deem- 
ed his property, which no other should lay any 
claim to, if not alienated by a sale. 

This proposal was received with applause, and 
they decimated themselves that very day, but put 
off the meeting of the states till a house was built, 
which they set about very cheerfully, and finished it in 
about a fortnight ; it being of framed timber, and 
they having among them a great number who 
understood the handling of an axe. 

When this body of politicians met, Caraccioli 
opened the sessions with a handsome speech, show- 
ing the advantage flowing from order ; and then 
spoke to the necessity of lodging a supreme power 
in the hands of one, who should have that of reward- 
ing brave and virtuous actions, and of punishing the 

8* 



90 CAPTAIN TEW. 

vicious, according to the laws which the state should 
make ; by which he was to be guided : that such a 
power, however, should not be for life, nor be heredi- 
tary, but determine at the end of three years, when 
a new choice should be made by the state, or the 
old confirmed for three years longer ; by which 
means, the ablest men would always be at the 
head of affairs, and their power being of short dura- 
tion, none would dare to abuse it : that such a 
chief should have the title of Lord Conservator, and 
all the ensigns of royalty to attend him. 

This was approved nem. con. and Misson was 
chosen conservator, with power to create great 
officers, &c. and with the title of Supreme Excel- 
lence. 

A law was then made for the meeting of the 
State once every year at least, but oftener, if the 
conservator and his council thought it necessary 
for the common good to convene them ; and that 
nothing of moment should be undertaken without 
the approbation of the State. 

In a word their first session lasted ten days ; and 
a great many wholesome laws were enacted, 
registered in the state book, and dispersed among 
the crews. 

Capt. Tew, the conservator honoured with the 
title of Admiral, and Caraccioli was made Secretary 
of State. He chose a council of the ablest among 
them, without distinction of nation or colour ; and 
the different languages began to be incorporated, 
and one made out of the many. An equal division 
was made of their treasure and cattle, and every 
one began either to enclose land for himself, or his 
neighbour who would hire his assistance. 

Admiral Tew proposed building an arsenal, and 
augmenting their naval force. The first was agreed 
to be proposed to the State at the next convention ; 
but the latter was thought unnecessary, till the 



CAPTAIN TEW. 91 

number of inhabitants was augmented ; for, should 
they all be employed in the sea service, the hus- 
bandry would be neglected, which would be of fatal 
consequence to the growing colony. 

The Admiral then proposed the fetching in those 
Englishmen who had followed the quarter-master ; 
but the council rejected this, alleging, that as they 
deserted their captain, it was a mark of a mutinous 
temper, and they might infect others with a spirit 
of disorder ; that, however, they might have notice 
given them of the settlement, and if they made it 
their earnest entreaty to be admitted, and would 
desert the quarter-master, it should be granted as a 
particular favour done them, at the instance of the 
Admiral, and upon his engaging his parole of honour 
for their quiet behaviour. 

The Admiral then desired he might take a cruise ; 
that he hoped to meet with some East-India ships, 
and bring in # some volunteers, for the number of 
subjects being the riches of a nation, he thought 
the colony stood more in need of men, than of any 
thing else ; that he would lie in the way of the 
Cape, and did not question doing good service ; and 
as he went to the northward, would call upon his 
own men. 

The Victoire was according to the Admiral's 
desire fitted out, and in a few days he sailed with 
30Q men on board. He came to an anchor at the 
settlement his men had made, hoisted an English 
ensign in his fore shrouds, and fired a gun; but 
after he had waited some time, perceiving no signal 
from the shore, he landed and sent back his boat 
Soon after the boat returned towards the ship, two 
of his men came up to him, to whom he gave an 
account of Misson's settlement. They invited him 
into the wood to see that of theirs, and to advise 
with their companions, about the proposed migra- 
tion. The governor, alias quarter-master, received 



92 CAPTAIN TEW. 

him mighty civilly, but told him, that he could see 
no advantage to themselves in changing their 
present situation, though they might prove a great 
one to the new colony, by adding to their force so 
many brave fellows : that they there enjoyed all 
the necessaries of life ; were free and independent 
of all the world ; and it would be madness again to 
subject themselves to any government, which, 
however mild, still exerted some power. That he 
was governor for three months, by the choice of his 
companions ; but his power extended no farther 
than to the judging in matters of small difference 
which might arise, which he hoped to do impartially 
while his authority continued ; that they had agreed 
among themselves, and confirmed that agreement 
by oath to support the decrees of the governor for 
the time, that their tranquillity might not be disturbed 
by the capricious humour of any one man : and that 
this power of determining, was to devolve at the 
expiration of three months, to him on whom the 
lot should fall by balloting, provided he had not 
before enjoyed the honour, for such a one was not 
to draw ; by which agreement, every one would be 
raised, in time, to the supreme command, which 
prevented all canvassing and making interest for 
votes, as when determined by suffrage ; left no 
opening for making divisions and parties, and was a 
means to continue to them that repose inseparable 
from an unity among themselves. However, con- 
tinued he, "if you will go to America or Europe, 
and show the advantages which may accrue to the 
English, by fixing a colony here, out of that love we 
bear our country, and to wipe away the odious 
appellation of pirates, with pleasure we will submit 
to any who shall come with a commission from a 
lawful government ; but it is ridiculous to think we 
will become subjects to greater rogues than our- 
selves." 



CAPTAIN TEW. 93 

Capt. Tew finding the quarter-master spoke the 
sentiments Of his companions, took leave, and 
returned to his ship : but went on shore again in 
the evening, the wind not serving to weigh, it 
blowing due west. He asked the governor how 
he got acquainted with the natives ] He answered, 
by meeting them a hunting, and using them well : 
that he wheedled one of them down to their huts, 
the fellow being alone, and they three in company, 
he supposed, thought it best to go with seeming 
willingness. After him several came, and they 
lived f ery friendly with them. The captain had 
brought ashore with him some rum and brandy, and 
they were drinking a bowl of punch, when on a 
sudden, a violent storm arose. Capt. Tew ran to 
the shore, and made a signal for his boat to carry 
him off, but the sea ran tod* high to venture out of 
the ship. The storm all the while increased, and 
the Victoire, in less than two hours, parting her 
cables, was drove ashore where it was very steep, 
and perished, with all her men, in Capt. Tew's 
sight. 

The captain stayed with his old companions, with- 
out knowing which way to return to his friends he 
had left with Misson, not one of whom was (luckily 
for them,) on board the ship. At the end of three 
months they saw a large ship, which Tew believed 
was the Bijoux ; but she took no notice of the fires 
thdy made. As he expected she would return after 
a short cruise, he, and his* companions, made large 
fires every night on the shore, and visited the coast 
very often. About a month after this, as they came 
early to the sea-side, they were surprised at the 
sight of two sloops which lay at anchor, about a 
cannon shot from the shore. They had not been 
long looking upon them, when a canoe was hoisted 
out of one, and made to them, with six men who 
rowed, and one sitter. 



94 CAPTAIN TEW. 

Tew soon knew him to be Capt. Misson. He 
came ashore, and embracing the former, told him, 
all their proposed happiness was vanished ; for with- 
out the least provocation given, in the dead of the 
night, the natives came down upon them in two great 
bodies, and made a great slaughter, without distinc- 
tion of age or sex, before they could put themselves 
in a posture of defence ; that Caraccioli (who died 
in the action) and he, got what men together they 
could, to make a stand ; but finding all resistance 
vain against such numbers, he made a shift to 
secure a considerable quantity of rough diamonds 
and bar gold, and to get on board the two sloops 
with 45 men : that the Bijoux being gone to cruise, 
and the number of men he had carried with him in 
the Victoire, weakened the colony, and given the 
natives the boldness to attack them as they did, but 
for what reason he could not imagine. 

Tew gave him an account of the disaster which 
had happened, and after having mutually condoled 
their misfortunes, Tew proposed their going to 
America, where Misson might, with the riches he 
had, pass his life unknown, and in a comfortable 
manner. Misson answered he could not yet take 
any resolution, though he had thoughts of returning 
to "Europe, and privately visiting his family, if any 
were alive, and then retire from the world. They 
dined with the quarter-master, who pressed their 
return to America, to procure a commission for the 
settling a colony. Missofi told Tew, he should have 
one ofthe sloops, and what volunteers would keep 
him company, for his misfortunes had erased all 
thoughts of future settlements ; that what riches 
they had saved, he would distribute equally, nay, 
he would be content, if he had only a bare support 
left him. On this answer, four of the quarter-mas- 
ter's company offered to join Capt. Tew. 

In the afternoon they visited both sloops, and 



CAPTAIN TEW. 95 

Misson putting the question to the men, 30 went on 
board of one sloop, though they parted with great 
reluctance from their old commander: and 15 stayed 
with Misson. The four men who joined Tew made 
the number of his crew 34 : they stayed about a 
week, in hopes of the Bijoux's return upon the 
coast ; but sjle not appearing, they set sail, Captain 
Misson having first shared the treasure, with Tew 
and his other friends and companions, hoping to 
meet the Bijoux on the Guinea coast, for which 
they shaped their course. Off Cape Infantes, they 
were overtaken with a storm, in which the unhappy 
Misson's sloop went down, within musket shot of 
Capt. Tew, who could give him no assistance. 

Tew continued his course for America, and ar- 
rived at Rhode-Island without any accident. His 
men dispersed themselves, as they thought fit, and 
Tew sent to Bermuda for his owner's account, four- 
teen times the value of their sloop ; and not being 
questioned by any, lived in great tranquillity. The 
French belonging to Misson, took different routes, 
one of whom dying at Rochelle, the French manu- 
script of Misson's life was found among his papers, 
and transmitted to me by a friend and correspondent. 

Capt. Tew lived unquestioned. He had an easy 
fortune, and designed to live quietly at home ; but 
those of his men, who lived near him, having squan- 
dered their shares, were continually soliciting him 
to take another trip. He withstood their request 
a considerable time ; but they having got together 
(by the report they made of the vast riches to be 
acquired) a number of resolute fellows, they, in a 
body, begged him to head them but for one voyage. 
They were so earnest in their desire, that he could 
not refuse complying. They prepared a small sloop, 
and made the best of their way to the straits enter- 
ing the Red Sea, where they met with, and attacked 
a ship belonging to the Great Mogul. In the en- 



96 CAPTAIN HALSEY. 

gagement, a shot carried away the rim of Tew's 
belly, who held his bowels with his hands some small 
space. When he dropped, it struck such a terror 
in his men, that they suffered themselves to be 
taken, without further resistance. 



CAPTAIN JOHN HALSEY. 



John Halsey was a Boston man, of New-Eng- 
land, commanded the Charles, brigantine, and went 
out with a commission from the governor, to cruise 
on the banks of Newfoundland, where he took a 
French banker, which he appointed to meet him at 
Fayal ; but missing his prize here, he went among 
the Canary Islands, where he took a Spanish barca- 
longa, which he plundered and sunk ; from thence 
he went to the island of Bravo, one of the Cape-de- 
Yerds, where he wooded and watered, turned ashore 
his lieutenant, and several of his men here running 
away from him, the governor sent them on board 
again, his commission being as yet in force. From 
hence he stood away to the southward, and doubling 
the Cape of Good Hope, made for Madagascar and 
the bay of Augustin, where he took in wood and 
water, with some straggling seamen, who were cast 
away in the Degrave Indiaman, Capt. Young, com- 
mander. After this, he shaped his course for the 
Red Sea, and met with a Dutchman of 60 guns, 
coming from Mocha, whom he kept company with 



CAPTAIN HALSEY. 97 

a week. Though he was resolved upon turning 
pirate, he intended to rob only the Moor ships, which 
occasioned a dispute between him and his men ; 
they insisting on the ship's being a Moor, and he 
asserting she was Dutch, was positive in his re- 
solve of meddling with no European ships. The 
men were for boarding, but his obstinacy not being 
to be conquered, they broke Halsey and his gunner, 
confined both, and were ready to board the Dutch- 
man, when one of the crew perceiving he was about 
to run out his lower tier, knocked down the quarter- 
master (whose business it is to be at the helm, in 
time of chaise or engagement, according to the 
rules of pirates) clapped the helm hard a-wether, 
and wore the brigantine. The Dutchman stayed. 
and fired a shot, which taking a swivel gun, carried 
it aft, narrowly missed the man at helm, and shat- 
tered the taflfarel. The men perceiving they had 
caught a Tartar, made the best of their way to shake 
her off, and some were running down between 
decks, whom the surgeon pricked up again with his 
sword, though he was no way consenting to their 
designed piracy. The captain and gunner were; 
again reinstated after they had seen their mistake, 
and then they steered for the Nicobar Islands, where 
they met with a country ship, called the Buffalo, 
commanded by Capt. Buckley, an Englishman, com- 
ing from Bengal, which they took after a short en- 
gagement, there being only three Europeans on 
board, the captain and two mates ; the rest were 
Moors. This ship fell seasonably in their way, she 
being bound for Achen, with butter, rice, and cloth, 
and the pirates, at that time, were in great straits 
both for provision and clothing. They took the two 
mates to sea with them, but left the captain and 
the Moors at Cara Nicobar, at an anchor, and then 
took a cruise. Capt. Buckley, who was sick, died 
before their return. In the "cruise they met with 

9 



98 CAPTAIN HA.LSEY. 

Captain Collins, in a country sloop, bound also to 
Achen. He had also two English mates with him, 
but the rest of his company consisted of Moors. 
Him they carried to the same harbour where they 
left the Buffalo. 

Here a dispute arose among the pirates. Some 
were for returning to the West-Indies, others were 
against it, for they had got no money, and that was 
what engaged their search. They parted upon 
this ; one part went on board the Buffalo, made one 
Rowe captain, and Myers, a Frenchman, master, 
whom they had picked up at Madagascar. The 
sloop's deck they ripped up, and mended with it the 
bottom of the brigantine which Halsey still com- 
manded. The ship shaped her course for Madagas- 
car, and the brigantine made for the straits of Ma- 
lacca, to lie in the track of the Manilla ships. I 
must observe, that Capt. Buckley's two mates, 
whom they intended to force with them, were by 
strength of entreaty, permitted to go away with a 
canoe. In these straits, they met an European built 
ship, of 26 guns, which they had not the courage to 
attack, being soured by the Dutchman. They af- 
terwards stood in shore, and came to an anchor. 
A few days after they made a vessel, which they 
supposed a China junk, and gave chase, but when 
they came pretty nigh, notwithstanding the pilot as- 
sured them she was what they supposed, they swore 
it was a Dutchman, and would not venture upon 
him ; sp leaving off their chase they stood in shore, 
and came again to an anchor under the peninsula. 
They lay here some days, and then spied a tall ves- 
sel, which they chased, and which proved to be the 
Albemarle East-Indiaman, Capt. Bews, commander, 
coming from China. They came up with him, but 
thinking it too warm a ship after exchanging a few 
shot, the brigantine made off, and the Albemarle 
chased in her turn. They however got clear, hav- 



CAPTAIN HALSEY. 99 

ing a better share of heels, and came again to an 
anchor. Having not above 40 hands, the water 
growing scarce, and not daring to venture ashore 
for fear of the Dutch, a council was called, and it 
was resolved to make the best of their way to Mada- 
gascar, to pick up more hands, refresh, and set out 
on new adventures. Pursuant to this resolution, 
they steered for that island, but fell in their way on 
Mascarenhas, where, making a small present to the 
governor, they were supplied with what they want- 
ed. From hence they went to a place on Madagas- 
car, called by the pirates Hopeful Point ; by the na- 
tives, Harangby, near the island of St. Mary's in the 
lat. of 17, 40, S. where they met with the Buffalo, 
and the Dorothy, a prize, made by Capt. Thomas 
White and his company, being about 90 or 100 men, 
settled near the same place, in petty governments 
of their own, having some of them 5 or 600, some 
1000 negro subjects, who acknowledged their sove- 
reignty. Here they again repaired their brigantine, 
took. in provisions and all necessaries, augmented 
their company to about 100 men, and set out for the 
Red Sea. They touched at Johanna, and there took 
ia a quantity of goats and cocoa nuts for fresh pro- 
visions, and thence in eleven days reached the straits 
of Babelmandel. They had not cruised here many 
days, when they spied the Moorish fleet from Mocha 
and Jufa, consisting of 25 sail, which they fell in 
with, and had been taken, if their oars had not 
helped them off, it falling a dead calm. They had 
not apprehended the danger so great, if they had 
not judged these ships convoyed by some Portu- 
guese men of war. Some days after this, they met 
u one mast vessel, called a grab, coming from Mo- 
cha, which they spied within gun-shot in a thick fog : 
they fired a shot which cut her halliards, and then 
took possession of her with their boats. She was 
laden with drugs, but they took only some necessa- 



100 CAPTAIN HALSEV. 

lies and 2000 dollars; and having learned that four 
English vessels lay at Mocha, of which one was from 
Jufa, they let her go. 

Three days after they spied the four ships, which 
they at first took to be the trees of Babelmandel. 
At night they fell in with, and kept them company 
till morning, the trumpets sounding on both sides all 
the time 9 for the pirate had two on board as well as 
the English. When it was clear day, the four ships 
drew into a line, for they had hailed the pirate, who 
made no ceremony of owning who he was, by an 
answering according to their manner, From the seas. 
The brigantine bore up till she had slung her gaff. 
One of the ships perceiving this, advised Capt. Jago, 
who led the van, in a ship of 24 guns and 70 men, to 
give chase, for the pirate was on the run ; but a 
mate, who was acquainted with the way of working 
among pirates, answered he would find his mistake, 
and said he had seen many a warm day, but feared 
this would be the hottest. The brigantine turned up 
again, and coming astern, clapped the Rising Eagle 
aboard, a ship of 16 guns, and the sternmost. 
Though they entered their men, the Rising Eagle 
held them a warm dispute for three quarters of an 
hour, in which Capt. Chamberlain's chief mate and 
several others were killed, the purser was wounded, 
jumped overboard, and drowned. In the mean while / 
the other ships called to Capt. Jago to board the pi- 
rate ; who bearing away to clap him aboard, the 
pirate gave him a shot, which raked him fore and 
aft, and determined Capt. Jago to get out of dan- 
ger ; for he run away with all the sail he could pack, 
though he was fitted out to protect the coast against 
pirates. His example was followed by the rest, 
every oue steering a different coast. Thus they 
became masters of the Rising Eagle. I cannot but 
take notice, that the second mate of the Rising Ea- 
gle, after quarters were called for, fired from out 



CAPTAIN HALSEY. 101 

the forecastle, and killed two of the pirates, one of 
whom was the gunner's consort, who would have 
revenged his death by shooting the mate, but seve- 
ral Irish and Scots, together with one Captain Tho- 
mas White, once a commander among the pirates, 
but then a private man, interposed and saved him, 
in regard that he was an Irishman. They examined 
the prisoners to know which was the ship from Jufa, 
that had money on board ; and having learned it was 
the Essex, they gave chase, came up with her, hoist- 
ed the bloody flag at the main-mast-head, fired one 
single gun, and she struck, though she was fitted 
for close quarters, and there were not on board the 
brigantine above 20 hands, and the prize was astern 
so far, that her top-mast scarce appeared out of the 
water. In chasing this ship, they passed the other 
two, who held the fly of their ensigns in their hands 
ready to strike. When the ship had struck, the cap- 
tain of her asked, who commanded the brigantine 1 
He was answered, Capt. Halsey. Asking again, who 
was quarter-master 1 He was told Nathaniel North, 
to whom he called, as he knew him very well. 
North, learning his name was Punt, said, Capt. Punt s 
I am sorry you are fallen into our hands. He was 
civilly treated, and nothing belonging to himself or 
the English gentlemen, who were passengers, touch- 
ed, though they made bold to lay hands on £40,000 
in money, belonging to the ship. They had about 
£1 0.000 in money out of the Rising Eagle. They 
discharged the Essex, and with the other prize and 
the brigantine, steered for Madagascar, where they 
arrived and shared their booty. Some of the pas- 
sengers, who had been so well treated, came after- 
wards with a small ship from India (with license 
from the governor of Madras) called the Greyhound, 
laden with necessaries, in hopes to barter with the 
pirates for the dry goods they had taken, and re- 
cover them at an easy rate. Thev were received 

9* 



102 CAPTAIN HALSEY. 

very kindly, an invoice of their goods was asked, 
the goods agreed for, shared and paid in money and 
bale goods. In the mean while came in a ship from 
Scotland, called the Neptune, 26 guns, 54 men, com- 
manded by Capt. James Miller, with a design to 
slave, and to go thence to Batavia to dispose of her 
negroes (having a supercargo on board, brought up 
among the Dutch) and thence to Malacca, Jo take 
on board the cargo of a ship, called the Speedwell, 
lost on her return from China; but finding here 
another ship trading with the pirates, and having 
many necessaries, French brandy, Madeira wine, 
and English stout on board, Capt. Miller thought it 
better to trade for money than slaves. The mer- 
chants of the Greyhound, nettled to see any but 
themselves take money, for the pirates never hag- 
gled about a price told them, They could not do the 
governor of Madras a more grateful piece of service, 
than to make prize of the Neptune, which was a 
ship fit for that purpose. To which some of the 
Scotch and Irish answered, They had not best put 
such a design on foot, for if the company once got 
it into their heads to take one, they would go nigh to 
take both skips. In a short time after came on a 
hurricane, which obliged the Neptune to cut away 
all her masts, and lost the three ships belonging to 
the pirates, which was their whole fleet. They hav- 
ing now no ship, and several of them no money, 
having been stripped at play, their thoughts were 
bent on the Neptune. The chief mate of her, Daniel 
Burgess, who had a spleen to the captain, joining 
privately with the pirates (among whom he died) 
got all the small masts and yards ashore ; and 
the pirates being requested to find him proper trees 
for masting, told Capt. Miller they had found such 
as would serve his turn, desiring he would take a 
number of hands ashore to get them down to the 
water, which (he suspecting no harm) accordingly 



CAPTAIN HALSEY. , 103 

did, and he and his men were seized, and the long 
boat detained ashore. The captain was forced to 
send for the second mate, and afterwards for the 
gunner ; the mate, w r ho was the captain's brother, 
went, but the gunner, suspecting foul play, refused. 
In the evening, Burgess came on board, and ad- 
vised the surrender of the ship, which, though but 
sixteen were left on board, they scrupled, and pro- 
posed going under the cover of their own guns to 
fetch their top-masts and yards, and with them put 
to sea; but the chief mate, Burgess, whose villany 
was not then known, persuaded them to give up a 
ship they could neither defend nor sail ; which was 
no small satisfaction to the Greyhound, little think- 
ing how soon they would meet with the same treat- 
ment; for two days after, the pirates manned the 
Neptune's pinnace, seized the Greyhound, took 
away all the money they had paid, and shifting out 
of the Neptune ten pipes of Madeira, with two hogs- 
heads of brandy, into the Greyhound* and putting 
on board the captain, second mate, boatswain and 
gunner of the Neptune, and about fourteen of her 
hands, ordered her to sea. The rest of the Nep- 
tune's company being young men fit for their pur- 
pose, they detained, most of whom, by hard drink- 
ing, fell into distempers and died. As to Capt. Hal* 
sey, while the Scotch ship was fitting, he fell ill of a 
fever, died and was buried with great solemnity and 
ceremony ; the prayers of the church of England 
was read over him, colours were flying, and his sword 
and pistol laid on his coffin, which was covered with 
a ship's jack ; as many minute guns fired as he was 
years old, viz. 46, and three English vollies, and one 
French volley of small arms. He was brave in his 
person, courteous to all his prisoners, lived beloved, 
and died regretted by his own people. His grave 
was made in a garden of water-melons, and fenced 



104 CAPTAIN WHITE. 

in with pallisades to prevent his being rooted up by 
wild hogs, of which there are plenty in those parts, 
P. S. The Neptune seized as above, was the year 
after Capt. Halsey's death, ready to go to sea : but 
a hurricane happening, she was lost, and proved 
the last ship that gang of pirates ever got posses- 
sion of. 



CAPTAIN THOMAS WHITE. 



He was bora at Plymouth, where his mother 
kept a public house. She took great care of his 
education, and when he was grown up, as he had 
an inclination to the sea, procured him the king's 
letter. After he had served some years on beard a 
man of war, he went to Barbadoes, where he mar- 
ried, got into the merchant service, and designed 
to settle in the island. He had the command of 
the Marygold brigantine given him, in which he 
made two successful voyages to Guinea and back 
to Barbadoes. In his third, he had the misfortune 
to be taken by a French pirate, as wer£ ^several 
other English ships, the masters and inferior offi- 
cers of which they detained, being in want of good 
artists. The brigantine belonging to White, they 
kept for their own use, and sunk the vessel they 
before sailed in ; but meeting with a ship on the 
Guinea coast more fit for their purpose, they went 
on board her, and burnt the brigantine. 



CAPTAIN WHITE. 10t> 

It is not my business here to give an account of 
this French pirate, any farther than Capt. White's 
story obliges me, though I beg leave to take notice 
of their barbarity to the English prisoners, for they 
would set them up as a butt or mark to shoot at ; 
several of whom were thus murdered in cool blood, 
by way of diversion. 

White was marked out for a sacrifice by one of 
these villains, who, for I know not what reason, had 
sworn his death which he escaped thus. One of 
the crew, who had a friendship for White, knew this 
fellow's design to kill him in the night, and there- 
fore advised him to lie between him and the ship's 
side, with intention to save him ; which indeed he 
did, but was himself shot dead by the murderous 
villain, who mistook him for White. 

After some time cruising along the coast, the 
pirates doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and shaped 
their course for Madagascar, where, being drunk 
and mad, they knocked their ship on the head, at 
the south end of the island, at a place called by the 
natives Elexa. The country thereabouts was go- 
verned by a king, named Mafaly. 

When the ship struck, Capt. White, Capt. Bore- 
man, (born in the isle of Wight, formerly a lieute- 
nant of a man of war, but in the merchant's service 
when he fell into the hands of the pirates) Capt 
Bowen and some other prisoners, got into the long- 
boat, and with broken oars and barrel staves, which 
they found in the bottom of the boat, paddled to 
Augustin Bay, which is about 14 or 15 leagues from 
the wreck, where they landed, and were kindly 
received by the king of Bavaw (the name of that 
part of the island) who spoke good English. 

They stayed here a year and a half at the king's 
expense* who gave them a plentiful allowance of 
provision* as was his custom to all white men, who 
met with aoy misfortune on his coast. His humanity 



106 CAPTAIN WHITE. 

not only provided for all such, but the first European 1 
vessel that came in, he always obliged to take in 
the unfortunate people, let the vessel be what it 
would ; for he had no notion of any difference 
between pirates and merchants. 

At the expiration of the above term, a pirate 
brigantine came in, on board which the king 
obliged them to enter, or travel by land to some 
other place, which they durst not do ; and of two 
evils chose the least, that of going on board the 
pirate vessel, which was commanded by one Wil- 
liam Read, who received them very civilly. 

This commander went along the coast, and picked 
up what Europeans he could meet with. His crew, 
however, did not exceed forty men. He would 
have been glad of taking on board some of the 
wrecked Frenchmen, but for the barbarity they 
had used towards the English prisoners. However, 
it was impracticable, for the French pretending to 
lord it over the natives, whom they began to treat 
inhumanly, were set upon by them, one half of 
their number cut off, and the other half made slaves. 

Read, with this gang, and a brigantine of 60 tons, 
steered his course for the gulf of Persia, where they 
met a grab (a one masted vessel) of about 200 tons, 
which was made prize. They found nothing on 
board but bale goods, most of which they threw 
overboard to search for gold, and to make room in 
the vessel ; but as they learned afterwards, they 
threw over, in their search, what they so greedily 
hunted after, for there was a considerable quantity 
of gold concealed in one of the bales they tossed 
into the sea. 

In this cruise Capt. Read fell ill and died, and was 
succeeded by one James. The brigantine being 
small, crazy, and worm-eaten, they shaped their 
course for the island of Mayotta, where they took 
out the masts of the brigantine, fitted up the grab, 



CAPTAIN WHITE. 107 

mid made a ship of her. Here they took in a quantity 
of fresh provision, which is in this island very plenti- 
ful, and very cheap ; and found a twelve oared 
. boat, which formerly belonged to the Ruby , East- 
Indiaman, which had been lost there. 

They stayed here all the monsoon time, which is 
about six months ; after which they resolved for 
Madagascar. As they came in with the land, they 
spied a sail coming round from the East side of the 
island. They gave chase on both sides, so that 
they soon met. They hailed each other, and 
receiving the same answer from each vessel, viz. 
from the seas, they joined company. 

This vessel was a small French ship, laden with 
liquors from Martinico, first commanded by one 
Fourgette, to trade with the pirates for slaves, at 
Ambonawoula, on the East side of the island, in the 
lat. of 17 degrees 30 minutes and was by them 
taken after the following manner. 

The pirates, who were headed by George Booth, 
now commander of the ship, went on board (as 
they had often done) to the number of ten, and car- 
ried money with them, under pretence of purchas- 
ing what they wanted. This Booth had formerly 
been gunner of a pirate ship, called the Dolphin. 
Capt. Fourgette was pretty much upon his guard, 
and searched every man as he came over the side, 
and a pair of pocket pistols were found upon a 
Dutchman, who was the first entered. The captain 
told him, he was a rogue, and had a design upon his 
skip, and the pirates pretended to be so angry with 
this fellow's offering to come on board with arms, 
that they threatened to knock him on the head, and 
tossing him roughly into the boat, ordered him 
ashore, though they had before taken an oath on 
the bible, either to carry the ship or die in the 
undertaking. 

They were all searched, but they however con- 



( 



108 CAPTAIN WHITE. 

trived to get on board four pistols, which were all 
the arms they had for the enterprise, though Four- 
gette had 20 hands on board, and his small arms on 
the awning, to be in readiness. 

The captain invited them into the cabin to dinner, 
but Booth chose to dine with the petty officers, 
though one Johnson, Isaac, and another, went down. 
Booth was to give the watch-word, which was 
hurrah. Standing near the awning, and being a 
niftible fellow, at one spring threw himself upon it, 
drew the arms to him, fired his pistol forward among 
the men, one of whom he wounded, (who jumping 
overboard was lost) and gave the signal. 

Three, I said, were in the cabin, and seven upon 
deck, who with handspikes and the arms seized, 
secured the ship's crew. The captain and his two 
mates, who were at dinner in the cabin, hearing the 
pistol, fell upon Johnson, and stabbed him in several 
places with their forks, but they being silver did him 
no great damage. Fourgette snatched his piece, 
which he snapped at Isaac's breast several times, 
but it would not go off. At last, finding his resistance 
vain, he submitted, and the pirates set him, and 
those of his men, who would not join them, on 
shore, allowing him to take his books, papers, and 
whatever else he claimed as belonging to himself; 
and besides treating him very humanely, gave him 
several casks of liquor, with arms and powder, to 
purchase provisions in the country. 

I hope this digression, as it was in a manner need- 
ful, will be excused. I shall now proceed. 

After they had taken in the Dolphin's company, 
which were on the island, and increased their crew,, 
by that means, to the number of 80 hands, they 
sailed to St. Mary's, where Capt. Mosson's ship lay 
at anchor, between the island and the main. This 
gentleman and his whole ship's company had been 



CAPTAIN WHITE. 109 

cut off, at the instigation of Ort-Vantyle, a Dutclv 
man of New-York. 

Out of her they took water casks and other 
necessaries ; which having done, they designed for 
the river Methelage. On the west side, of Mada- 
gascar, in the lat. of 16 degrees or thereabouts, to 
salt up provisions and to proceed to the East-Indies, 
cruise off the islands of St. John, and lie in wait for 
the Moor's ships from Mocha. 

In their way to Methelage they fell in (as I have 
said) with the pirate, on board of which was Capt. 
White. They joined company, came to an anchor 
together in the above named river, where they had 
cleaned, salted and taken in their provisions, and 
were ready to go to sea, when a large ship appear- 
ed in sight, and stood into the same river. 

The pirates knew not whether she was a mer- 
chantman or man of war. She had been the latter, 
belonging to the French king, and could mount 50 
guns ; but being taken by the English, she was 
bought by some London merchants, and fitted out 
from that port to slave at Madagascar, and go to 
Jamaica. The captain was a youngs inexperienced 
man, who was put in with a nurse. 

The pirates sent their boats to speak with them, 
but the ship firing at them, they concluded it a man 
of war, and rowed ashore; the grab standing in, 
and not keeping her wind so well as the French 
built ship, run among a parcel of mangroves, and a 
stump piercing her bottom., she sunk : the other run 
aground, let go her anchor, and came to no damage, 
for the tide of flood fetched her off. 

The captain of the Speaker, for that was the 
name of the ship which frightened the pirates, was 
not a little vain of having forced these two vessels 
ashore, though he did not know whether they were 
pirates or merchantmen, and could not help express- 
ing himself in these words : " How will my name 

10 



110 CAPTAIN WHITE. 

ring on the exchange, when it is known I have run 
two pirates aground ;" which gave handle to a satiri- 
cal return from one of his men after he was taken, 
who said, " Lord! how our captain's name will ring 
on the exchange, when it is heard, he frightened 
two. pirate ships ashore, and was taken by their two 
boats afterwards." 

When the Speaker came within shot, she fired 
several times at the two vessels ; and when she 
came to an anchor, several more into the country, 
which alarmed the negroes, who, acquainting their 
king, he would allow him no trade, till the pirates 
living ashore, and who had a design on his ship, 
interceded for them, telling the king, they were their 
countrymen, and what had happened was through 
a mistake, it being a custom among them to fire 
their guns by way of respect, and it was owing to 
the gunner of the ship's negligence that they fired 
shot. 

The captain of the Speaker sent his purser 
ashore, to go up the country to the king, who liv ed 
about 24 miles from the coast, to carry a couple of 
small arms inlaid with gold, a couple of brass blun- 
derbusses, and a pair of pistols, as presents, and to 
require trade. As soon as the purser was ashore, 
he was taken prisoner, by one Tom Collins, a Welch- 
man, born in Pembroke, who lived on shore, and 
had belonged to the Charming Mary, of Barbadoes, 
which went out with a commission but was con- 
verted to a pirate. He told the purser he was his 
prisoner, and must answer the damage done two 
merchants who wei'e slaving. The purser an- 
swered, that he was not commander ; that the Cap- 
tain was a hot rash youth, put into a business by 
his friends, which he did not understand ; but how- 
ever, satisfaction should be made. He was carried 
by Collins on board Booth's ship, where, at first, he 
was talked to in pretty strong terms ; but after a 



CAPTAIN WHITE. Ill 

While very civilly used, and the next morning sent 
up to the king with a guide, and peace made for 
him. 

The king allowed them trade, and sent down the 
usual presents, a couple of oxen between twenty 
and thirty people laden with rice, and as many more 
with the country liquor, called toke. 

The captain then settled the factory on the shore 
side, and began to buy slaves and provisions. The 
pirates were among them, and had opportunities of 
sounding the men, and knowing in what posture the 
ship lay. They found by one Hugh Man, belonging 
to the Speaker, that there were not above 40 men 
on board, and that they had lost the second mate 
and 20 hands in the long-boat, on the coast, before 
they came into this harbour, but that they kept a good 
look out, and had their guns ready primed. How- 
ever", he, for a hundred pounds, undertook to wet 
all the priming, and assist in taking the ship. 

After some days the captain of the Speaker came 
on shore, and was received with a great deal of 
civility by the heads of the pirates, having agreed 
before to make satisfaction. In a day or two after, 
he was invited by them to eat a barbacued shoat, 
which invitation he accepted. After dinner, Capt. 
Bowen, who was, I have already said, a prisoner on 
board the French pirate, but now become one of 
the fraternity, and master of the grab, went out, 
and returned with a case of pistols in his hand, 
and told the captain of the Speaker, whose name I 
won't mention, that he was his prisoner. He asked, 
upon what account ? Bowen answered, « they want- 
ed a ship, his was a good one, and they were re- 
solved to have her, to make amends for the damage 
he had done them." 

In the mean while his boat's crew, and the rest 
of his men ashore, were told by others of the pi- 
rates, who were drinking with them, that they were 



112 CAPTAIN WHITE. 

also prisoners : some of them answered, Zounds, 
we don't trouble our heads what we are, lets have 
f other bowl of punch. 

A watch word was given, and no boat to be ad- 
mitted on board the ship. This word, which was 
for that night, Coventry, was known to them. At 
8 o'clock they manned the twelve-oared boat, and 
the one they found at Mayotta, with 24 men, and 
set out for the ship. When they were put off, the 
captain of the Speaker desired them to come back, 
as he wanted to speak with them. Capt. Booth 
asked, what he wanted] He said, " they could never 
take his ship." "Then/' said Booth, "we'll die 
in or along side of her." — "But," replied the cap- 
tain, "if you will go with safety, don't board on 
the larboard side for there is a gun out of the 
steerage loaded with partridge, which will clear 
the decks." They thanked him, and proceeded. 

When they were near the ship they were hailed, 
and the answer was, the Coventry. " All well," said 
the mate, " get the lights over the side ;" but spying 
the second boat, he asked what boat that was? One 
answered, it was a raft of water ; another that it 
was a boat of beef 5 this disagreement in the an- 
swers made the itiate suspicious, who cried out — 
Pirates, take to your arms my lads, and immedi- 
ately clapped a match to a gun, which, as the 
griming was before wet by the treachery of Hugh 
Man, only fizzed. They boarded in the instant, and 
made themselves masters of her, without the loss 
of a man on either side. 

The next day they put necessary provisions on 
board the French built ship, and gave her to the 
captain of the Speaker, and those men who would 
go off with him, among whom was Man, who had 
betrayed his ship ; for the pirates had both paid him 
the xlOO agreed, and kept his secret. The captain 
having thus lost his ship, sailed in that which the 



CAPTAIN WHITE. 113 

pirates gave him, for Johanna, where he fell ill and 
died with grief. 

The pirates having here victualled, they sailed 
for the Bay of .St. Augustine where they took in 
between 70 and 80 men, who had belonged to the 
ship Alexander commanded by Capt. James, a pi- 
rate. They also took up her guns, and mounted 
the Speaker with 54, which made up their num- 
ber 240 men, besides slaves, of which they had 
about 20. 

From hence they sailed for the East-Indies, but 
stopped at Zanguebar for fresh provisions, where 
the Portuguese had once a settlement, but now in- 
habited by Arabians. Some of them went ashore 
with the captain to buy provisions. The captain 
was sent for by the governor, who went with about 
14 in company. They passed through the guard, 
and when they had entered the governor's house, 
they were all cut off; and, at the same time, others 
who were in different houses of the town were set 
upon, which made them fly to the shore. The long- 
boat, which lay off at a grappling, was immediately 
put in by those who looked after her. There were 
not above half a dozen of the pirates who brought 
their arms ashore, but they plied them so well, for 
they were in the boat, that most of the men got 
into her. The quarter-master ran down sword in 
hand, and though he was attacked by many, he be- 
haved himself so well, that he got into a little canoe, 
put off, and reached the long-boat 

In the interim, the little fort the Arabians had, 
played upon the ship, which returned the salute 
very warmly. Thus they got on board, with the 
loss of Capt. Booth and 20 men, and set sail for the 
East-Indies. When they were under sail, they went 
to voting for a new captain, and the quarter-master, 
who had behaved so well in the last affair with the 
Arabians, was chosen; but he declining all com* 

10* 



114 CAPTAIN WHITE. 

mand, the crew made choice of Bowen for captain, 
Pickering to succeed him as master, Samuel He- 
rault, a Frenchman, for quarter-master, and Natha- 
niel North for captain quarter-master. 

Things being thus settled, they came to the mouth 
of the Red Sea, and fell in with 13 sail of Moor 
sliips, which they kept company with the greater 
part of the day, but were afraid to venture on them, 
as they took them for Portuguese men of war. At 
length part were for boarding, and advised it. The 
captain, though he said little, did not seem inclined, 
for he was bift a young pirate, though an old com- 
mander of a merchantman. Those who pushed for 
boarding, then desired Capt. Boremen, already men- 
tioned, to take the command ; but he said, he would 
not be an usurper; that nobody was more fit for it 
than he who had it ; that for his part he would stand 
by his fuzil, and went forward to the forecastle with 
such as would have had him take the command, to 
be ready to board ; on which, the captain's quarter- 
master said, if they were resolved to engage, their 
captain, (whose representative he was) did not want 
resolution; therefore, he ordered them to get their 
tacks on board (for they had already made a clear 
ship) and get ready for boarding; which they ac- 
cordingly did, and coming up with the sternmost ship, 
they fired a broadside into her, which killed two 
Moors, clapped her on board and carried her; but 
night coming on, they made only this prize, which 
yielded them c£500 per man. From hence they 
sailed to the coast of Malabar. The adventures of 
these pirates on this coast are already set down in 
Captain Bowen's life, to which I refer the reader, 
and shall only observe, that Capt. White was all this 
time before the mast, being a forced man from the 
beginning. 

Bowen's crew dispersing, Capt. White went to 
Methelage, where he lived ashore with the king, 



€APTAIN WH It'll. 115 

not having an opportunity of getting off the island, 
till another pirate ship, called the Prosperous, com- 
manded by one Howard, who had been bred a light- 
erman on the river Thames, came in. This ship 
was taken at Augustin, by some pirates from shore, 
and the crew of their own long-boat, which joined 
them, at the instigation of one Ranten, boatswain's 
mate, who sent for water. They came on board 
in the night and surprised her, though not without 
resistance, in which the captain and chief mate 
were killed, and several others wounded. 

Those who were ashore with Capt. White, re- 
solving to enter in this ship, determined him to go 
also, rather than be left alone with the natives, 
hoping, by some accident or other, to have an op- 
portunity of returning home. He continued on 
board this ship, in which he was made quarter-master, 
till they met with, and all went on board of Bowen, 
as is set down in his life, in which ship he continued 
after Bowen left them. At Port Dolphin he went 
off in the boat tc fetch some of the crew left ashore, 
the ship being blown to sea the night before. The 
ship not being able to get in, and he supposing her 
gone to the west side of the island, as they had for- 
merly proposed, he steered that course in his boat 
with 26 men. They touched at Augustin, expect- 
ing the ship, but she not appearing in a week, the 
time they waited, the king ordered them to be gone, 
telling tliem they imposed on him with lies, for he 
did not believe they had any ship : however he gave 
them fresh provision : they took in water, and made 
for Methelage. Here, as Capt. White was known 
to the king, they were kindly received, and stayed 
about a fortnight in expectation of their ship, but 
she not appearing, they raised their boat a streak, 
salted the provisions the king gave them, put water 
aboard, and stood for the north end of the island, 
designing to go round, believing their ship might be 



116 CAPTAIN WHITE. 

at the island of St. Mary. When they came to the 
north end, the current, which sets to the N. W. for 
eight months in the year, was so strong they found 
it impossible to get round. Wherefore they got into 
a harbour, of which there are many for small ves- 
sels. Here they stayed about three weeks or a 
month, when part of the crew were for burning the 
boat, and for travelling over land to a black king of 
their acquaintance, whose name was Reberimbo, 
who lived at a place called Manangaromasigh, in lat 
15 degrees, or thereabouts. As this king had been 
several times assisted by the whites in his wars, he 
was a great friend to them. Capt. White dissuaded 
them from this undertaking, and with much ado, 
saved the boat; but one half of the men being re- 
solved to go by land, they took what provisions they 
thought necessary, and set out. Capt. White, and 
those who stayed with him, convoyed them a day's 
journey, and then returning, he got into the boat 
with his companions, and went back to Methelage, 
fearing these men might return, prevail with the 
rest, and burn the boat. 

Here he built a deck on his boat, and lay by three 
months, in which time there came in three pirates 
with a boat, who had formerly been trepanned on 
board the Severn and Scarborough men of war, 
which had been looking for pirates on the east side ; 
from which ships they made their escape at Mohila, 
in a small canoe to Johanna, and from Johanna to 
Mayotta, where the king built them the boat* which 
brought them to Methelage. The time of the cur- 
rent's setting with violence to the N. W. being over, 
they proceeded together in White's boat (burning 
that of Mayotta) to the north end, where the cur- 
rent running yet too strong to get round, they went 
into a harbour and stayed there a month, maintain- 
ing themselves with fish and wild hogs, of which 
there was a great plenty. At length, having fine 



CAPTAIN WHITE. 117 

weather, and the strength of the current abating, 
they got round ; and after sailing about 40 miles on 
the east side, they went into a harbour, where they 
found a piece of a jacket, which they knew belong, 
ed to one of those men who had left them to go 
over land. He had been a forced man, and a ship 
carpenter. This they supposed he had torn to wrap 
round his feet : that part of the country being bar- 
ren and rocky. As they sailed along this coast, 
they came to an anchor in convenient harbours 
every night, till they got as far as Manangaro- 
maisigh, where king Reberimbo resided, where 
they went in to inquire for their men, who left them 
at the north end, and to recruit with provisions. 
The latter was given them, but they could get no 
information of their companions. 

From hence they went to the island of St. Mary, 
where a canoe came off to them with a letter 
directed to any white man. They knew it to be 
the hand of one of their former shipmates. The 
contents of this letter was to advise them to be on 
their guard, and not trust too much to the blacks of 
this place, they having been formerly treacherous. 
They inquired after their ship, and were informed, 
that the company had given her to the Moors, who 
were gone away with her, and that they themselves 
were settled at Ambonavoula, about 20 leagues to 
the southward of St. Mary, where they lived among 
the negroes as so many sovereign princes. 

One of the blacks, who brought off the letter went 
on board their boat, carried them to the place called 
Olumbah, a point of land made by a river on one 
side, and the sea on the other, where twelve of 
them lived together in a large house they had built, 
and fortified with about twenty pieces of cannon. 

The rest of them were settled in small companies 
of about 12 or 14 together, more or less, up the 
said river, and along the coast, every nation by 



118 CAPTAIN WHITE. 

itself, as the English, French, Dutch, &c. They 
made inquiry of their consorts after the shares of 
prizes which belonged to them, and they found all 
very justly laid by to be given them, if ever they 
returned, as were what belonged to the men who 
went over land. Capt. White, hankering after 
home, proposed going out again in the boat ; for 
he was averse to settling with them ; and many 
others agreed to go under his command ; and if they 
could not meet with a ship to carry them to Europe, 
to follow their old vocation. But the others did not 
think it reasonable he should have the boat, but 
that it should be set to sale for the benefit of the 
company. Accordingly it was set up, and Capt, 
White bought it for 400 pieces of eight, and with 
some of his old consorts, whose number was- in- 
creased by others of the ship's crew, he.wentback 
the way he had come to Methelage. Here he met 
with a French ship of about 50 tons, and 6 guns, 
which had been taken by some pirates who lived at 
Maratan, on the east side of the island, and some 
of the Degrave East-Indiaman's crew, to whom the 
master of her refused a passage to Europe ; for as 
he ha«l himself been a pirate, and quarter-master to 
Bowen, in the Speaker, he apprehended their taking 
away his ship. War then subsisting between Eng- 
land and France, he thought they might do it with- 
out being called in question as pirates. The pirates 
who had been concerned in taking Herault's ship, 
for that was his name, had gone up the country, 
and left her to the men belonging to the Degrave 
who had fitted her up, cleaned and tallowed her, 
and got in some provision, with a design to go to 
the East-Indies, that they might light on some ship 
to return to their own country. 

Capt. White, finding these men proposed joining 
him, and going round to Ambonavoula, to make up 
a company, it was agreed upon, and they unani- 



CAPTAIN WHITE. 119 

mously chose him commander. They accordingly 
put to sea, and stood away round the south end of 
the island, and touched at Don Masearenhas, where 
he took in a surgeon, and stretching over again to 
Madagascar, fell in with Ambonavoula, and made 
up his complement of 60 men. From hence he 
shaped his course for the island of Mayotta, where 
he cleaned his ship, and waited for the season to go 
into the Red Seas. His provisions being taken in, 
the time proper, and the ship well fitted, he steered 
for Babelmandel, and running into a harbour, 
waited for the Mocha ships. 

He here took two grabs laden with provision, and 
having some small money and drugs aboard. These 
he plundered of what was for his turn, kept them a 
fortnight by him, and let them go. Soon after they 
spied a lofty ship, upon which they put to sea ; but 
finding her European built, and too strong to at- 
tempt, for it was a Dutchman, they gave over the 
chase, and were glad to shake him off, and return to 
their station. Fancying they were here discovered, 
from the coast of Arabia, or that the grabs had given 
information of them, they stood over for the Ethio- 
pian shore, keeping a good look out for the Mocha 
ships. A few days after, they met with a large Ship 
of about 1000 tons and 600 men, called the Malabar, 
which they chased, kept company with all night, and 
took in the morning, with the loss of only their 
boatswain, and two or three men wounded. In 
the taking this ship, they damaged their own so 
much, by springing their foremast, carrying away 
their bowsprit, and beating in part of their upper 
works, that they did not think her longer fit for their 
use. They therefore filled her with prisoners, gave 
them provisions and sent them away. 

Some days after this they spied a Portuguese 
man of war of 44 guns, which they chased, but gave 
it over, by carrying away their main-top-mast, so 






120 CAPTAIN WHITE. 

that they did not speak with her, for the Portuguese 
took no notice of them. Four days after they had 
left this man of war, they fell in with a Portuguese 
merchantman, which they chased with English 
colours flying. The chase, taking White for an 
English man of war or East-Indiaman, made no 
sail to get from him, but on his coming up, brought 
to, and sent his boat on board with a present of 
sweet-meats for the English captain. His boat's 
crew was detained, and the pirates getting into his 
boat with their arms, went on board, and fired on 
the Portuguese, who being surprised, asked if war 
was broke out between England and Portugal ? 
They answered in the affirmative, but the captain 
could not believe them. However, they took what 
they liked, and kept him with them. 

After two days they met with the Dorothy, an 
English ship, Capt. Penruddock, commander, com- 
ing from Mocha. They exchanged several shot in 
the chase, but when they came along* side of her, 
they entered their men, and found no resistance, 
she being navigated by Moors, no Europeans, 
except the officers being on board. On a vote, they 
gave^Qapt. Penruddock (from whom they took a 
considerable quantity of money) the Portuguese 
ship and cargo, with what bale he pleased to take 
out of his own, bid him go about his business, and 
make what he could of her. As to the English ship, 
they kept her for their own use. 

Soon after, they plundered the Malabar ship, out 
of which they took as much money as came to ,£200 
sterling a man, but missed 50,000 sequins, which 
were hid in a jar under a cow's stall, kept for the 
giving milk to the Moor supercargo, an ancient man. 
They then put the Portuguese and Moor prisoners 
on board the Malabar, and sent them about their 
business. The day after they had sent them away, 
one Capt. Benjamin Stacy, in a ketch of 6 guns fell 



CAPTAIN WHITE. 121 

into their hands. They took what money he had, 
and what goods and provisions they wanted. Among 
the money were 500 dollars, a silver mug and two 
spoons belonging to a couple of children on board, 
who were under the care of Stacy. The children 
took on for their loss, and the captain asking the 
reason of their tears, was answered by Stacy, that 
the above sum and plate was all the children "had to 
bring them up. Capt. White made a speech to his 
men, and told them it was cruel to rob the innocent 
children ; upon which, by unanimous consent, all was 
restored them again. Besides, they made a gathering 
among themselves, and made a present to Stacy's 
mate, and other his inferior officers, and about 120 dol- 
lars to the children. They then discharged Stacy 
and his crew, and made the best of their way out of 
the Red Sea. 

They came into the bay of Defarr, where they 
found a ketch at anchor, which the people ha£ -made 
prize of, by seizing the master and boat's crew 
ashore. They found a French gentleman, one 
Monsieur Berger, on board, whom they carried with 
them, took out about 2000 dollars, and sold the 
ketch to the chief ashore for provisions. 

Hence they sailed for Madagascar, but touched 
at Mascarenhas, where several of them went 
ashore with their booty, about <£i y 200 a man. Here 
taking in fresh provision, White steered for Mada- 
gascar, and fell in with Hopeful Point, where they 
shared their goods, and took up settlements ashore, 
where White built a house bought cattle, took off 
the upper deck of his ship, and was fitting her up 
for the next season. When she was near ready for 
sea, Capt. John Halsey, who had made a broken 
voyage, came in with a brigantine, which being a 
more proper vessel for their turn, they desisted 
from working on the ship, and those who had a 
mind for fresh adventures, went on board Halsey, 

11 



122 CAPTAIN CONDENT. 

among whom Capt. White entered before the 
mast. 

At his return to Madagascar, White was taken ill 
of a flux, which in about five or six months ended 
his days. Finding his time was drawing nigh, he 
made his will, left several legacies, and named 
three men of different nations, guardian to a son he 
had by a woman of the country, requiring he might 
be sent to England with the money he left him, by 
the first English ship, to be brought up in the Chris- 
tian religion, in hopes he might live a better man 
than his father. He was buried with the same 
ceremony they used at the funerals of their com- 
panions, which is mentioned in the account of Hal- 
sey. Some years after, an English ship touching 
there, the guardians faithfully discharged their trust, 
and put him on board with the captain, who brought 
up the boy with care, acting by him as became a 
man of probity and honour. 



CAPTAIN CONDENT. 



Captain Condent was a Plymouth man born, 
but we are as yet ignorant of the motives and time 
of his first turning pirate. He was one of those who 
thought fit to retire from Providence, on Governor 
Rogers' arrival at that island, in a sloop belonging to 
Mr. Simpson, of New-York, a Jew merchant, of 
which sloop he was then quarter-master. Soon af- 



CAPTAIN CONDENT. 123 

ter they left the island, an accident happened on 
board, which put the whole crew into consternation. 
They had among them an Indian man, whom some 
of them had beat: in revenge, he got most of the 
arms forward into the hold, and designed to blow up 
the sloop ; upon which, some advised scuttling the 
deck and throwing grenade shells down; but Con- 
dent said, that was too tedious and dangerous, since 
the fellow might fire through the decks and kill seve- 
ral of them. He, therefore, taking a pistol rn^jme 
hand, and his cutlass in the other, leaped inta$£he 
hold. - The Indian discharged a piece at him, >vhich 
broke his arm; but, however, he ran up and shot 
the Indian. When he was- dead, the crew hacked 
him to pieces, and the gunner, ripping up his belly, 
tore out his heart, broiled and ate it. 

After this, they took a merchantman called the 
Duke of York; and some disputes arising among 
the pirates, the captain, and one half of the com- 
pany, went on board the prize ; the other half, who 
continued in the sloop, chose Condent captain. He 
shaped his course for the Cape-de-Verd Islands, and 
in his way, took a merchant ship from Madeira, 
laden with wine, bound for the West-ladies, which 
he plundered and let go; then coming to the Isle of 
May, one of the said islands, he took the whole salt 
Meet, consisting of about 20 sail. Wanting ahoom, 
he took out the main-mast of one of these ships, to 
supply the want. Here he took upon himself the 
administration of justice, inquiring into the manner 
of the commander's behaviour to their jnen, and 
those against whom complaint was made he whip- 
ped and pickled. He took what provisions and other 
necessaries he wanted, and having augmented his 
company, by volunteers and forced men, he left the 
ships and sailed to St Jago, where he took a Dutch 
ship, which had formerly been a privateer. This 
proved also an easy prize, for he fired but one broad- 



124 CAPTAIN CONDENT. 

side, and clapping her on board, carried her without 
resistance, for the captain and several men were 
killed, beside some wounded by his great shot, 

This ship proving for his purpose, he gave her 
the name of the Flying Dragon, went on board with 
his crew, and made a present of his sloop to a mate 
of an English prize, whom he had forced with him. 
From hence he stood aw r ay for the coast of Brazil, 
and in his cruise took several Portuguese ships, 
which he plundered and let go. 

After these, he fell in with the Wright galley, 
Capt. John Spelt, commander, hired by the South 
Sea company, to go to the coast of Angola for 
slaves, and thence to Buenos Ayres. This ship he 
detained a considerable time, and the captain being 
his townsman, treated him very civilly. A few days 
after he took Spelt, he made prize of a Portuguese, 
laden with bale goods and stores. He new rigged 
the Wright galley, and put on board of her some of 
the goods. Soon after he had discharged the Por- 
tuguese, he met with a Dutch East-Indiaman of 26 
guns, whose captain was killed the first broadside, 
and took her with little resistance, for he had hoist- 
ed the pirate's colours on board Spelt's ship. 

He now, with three sail, steered for the island of 
Ferdinando, where he hove dow r n and cleaned the 
Flying Dragon. Having careened, he put 1 1 Dutch- 
men on board Capt. Spelt, to make amends for the 
hands he had forced from him, and sent him away, 
making him a present of the goods he took from 
the Portuguese ship. When he sailed himself, he 
ordered the Dutch to stay at Ferdinando 24 hours 
after his departure ; threatening, if he did not com- 
ply, to sink his ship, if he fell a second time into 
his hands, and to put all the company to the sword. 
He then stood for the coast of Brazil, where he met 
a Portuguese man of war of 70 guns, which he came 
up with. The Portuguese hailed him, and he an- 



CAPTAIN CONDENT. 125 

swered, from London, bound for Buenos Ayres. 
The Portuguese maimed his shrouds mid cheered 
him, when Condent fired a broadside and a volley of 
small arms, which began a smart engagementfor 
the space of three glasses; but Condent finding 
himself over-matched, made the best of his way, 
and being the best sailer, got off. 

A few days after, he took a vessel of the same 
nation, who gave an -account, that he had killed 
above 40 men in the Guarda del Costa, beside a 
number wounded. He kept along the coast to the 
southward, and took a French ship of 18 guns, laden 
with wine and brandy, bound for the South Sea, 
which he carried with him into the River of Plate. 
He sent some of his men ashore to kill some wild 
cattle, but they were taken by the crew of a Spa- 
nish man of war. On their examination before the 
captain, they said they were two Guinea ships, with 
slaves belonging to the South Sea company, and on 
this story were allowed to return to their boats. 
Here five of his forced men ran away, with his 
canoe; he plundered the French ship, cut her adrift, 
and she was stranded. He proceeded along the 
Brazil coast, and hearing a pirate ship was lost upon 
it, and the pirates imprisoned, he used all the Portu- 
guese, who fell into his hands, who were many, very 
barbarously, cutting off their ears and noses ; and 
as his master was a papist, when they took a priest, 
they made him say mass at the mainmast, and 
would afterwards get on his back and ride him about 
the decks, or else load and drive him like a beast. 
He from this went to the Guinea coast, and took 
Capt. Hill, in the Indian Queen. 

In Luengo Bay he saw two ships at anchor, one 
a Dutchman of 44 guns, the other an English ship, 
called the Fame, Capt. Bowen, commander. They 
both cut and ran ashore ; the Fame was lost, but 
the Dutch ship the pirate got off and took with him, 

11* 



126 CAPTAIN CONDENT. 

When he was at sea again, he discharged Captain 
Hill, and stood away for the East-Indies. Near the 
Cape he took an Ostend East-Indiaman, of which 
Mr. Nash, a noted merchant in London, was super- 
cargo. Soon after he took a Dutch East-Indiaman, 
discharged the Ostender, and made for Madagascar. 
At the Isle of St. Mary, he met with some of Capt. 
Halsey's crew, whom he took on board with other 
stragglers, and shaped his course for the East-In- 
dies, and in the way, at the island of Johanna, took, 
in company with two other pirates he met at St. 
Mary's, the Cassandra East-Indiaman, commanded 
by Capt. James Macragh. He continued his course 
for the East-Indies, where he made a very great 
booty ; and returning, touched at the isle of Masca- 
renhas, where he met with a Portuguese ship of 70 
guns, with the viceroy of Goa on board. This ship 
he made prize of, and hearing she had money on 
board, they would allow of no ransom, but carried 
her to the coast of Zanguebar, where was a Dutch 
fortification, which they took and plundered, razed 
the fort, and carried. off several men voluntarily. 
From hence they stood for St. Mary's, where they 
shared their booty, broke up their company, and 
settled among the natives. Here a snow came from 
Bristol, which they obliged to carry a petition to the 
governor of Mascarenhas for a pardon, though they 
paid the master very generously. The governor 
returned answer, he would take them into protec- 
tion if they would destroy their ships, which they 
agreed to, and accordingly sunk the Flying Dragon, 
&c. Condent and some others went to Mascaren- 
has, where Condent married the governor's sister- 
in-law, and remained some time ; but, as I have 
been credibly informed, he is since come to France, 
settled at St. Maloes, and drives a considerable trade 
as a merchant. 



CAPTAIN BELLAMY. 1ST 



CAPTAIN BELLAMY. 



As we cannot, with any certainty, deduce this 
man from his origin, we shall begin where we find 
him first a declared enemy to mankind. Capt. Bel- 
lamy and Paul Williams, in two sloops, had been 
upon a Spanish wreck, and not finding their expec- 
tation answered, they resolved not to lose their 
labour, and agreed to go upon the account, a term 
among the pirates, which speaks their profession* 
The first who had the misfortune to fall in their way, 
was Capt. Prince, bound from Jamaica to London, 
in a galley built at that port, whose cargo consisted 
of elephant's teeth, gold dust, and other rich mer- 
chandise. This prize not only enriched but strength- 
ened them. They immediately mounted this galley 
with 28 guns, and put on board 150 hands, of differ- 
ent nations ; Bellamy was declared captain, and the 
vessel had her old name continued, which was 
Whidaw. This happened about the latter end of 
February, 1717. They, now thus fitted for continu- 
ing their desperate resolution, shaped their course 
for Virginia, which coast they very much infested, 
taking several vessels. They were upon shifting 
this station, when they were very near, as the 
psalmist expresses it, going quick down into hell; 
for the heavens beginning to lower, prognosticated 
a storm. At the first appearance of the sky being 
likely to be overcast, Bellamy took in all his small 
sails, and Williams doubled-reefed his mainsail, 
which was hardly done when a thunder shower 
overtook them with such violence, that the Whidaw 
was very near oversetting. They immediately put 



128 CAPTAIN BELLAMY. 

before the wind, for they had no other way of 
working, having only the goose wings of the fore- 
sail to scud with. Happy for them the wind was at 
W. by N. for had it been easterly, they must have 
infallibly perished upon the coast. The storm 
increased towards night, and not only put them by 
all sail, but obliged the Whidaw to bring her yards 
aportland, and all they could do with tackles to 
the goose neck of the tiller, four men in the gun- 
room, and two at the wheel, was to keep her head 
to the sea, for had she once broached to, they 
must infallibly have foundered. The heavens, in 
the mean while, w r ere covered with sheets of light- 
ning, w^hich the sea, by the agitation of the saline 
particles, seemed to imitate. The darkness of the 
night was such, as the scripture says, as might be 
felt ; the terrible hollow roaring of the winds, could 
be only equalled by the repeated, I may say, inces- 
sant claps of thunder, sufficient to strike a dread of 
the Supreme Being, who commands the sea and 
the winds, one would imagine in every heart ; but 
among these wretches, the effect was different, for 
they endeavoured by their blasphemies, oaths, and 
horrid imprecations, to drown the uproar of jarring 
elements. Bellamy swore he w r as sorry he could 
not run out his guns to return the salute, meaning 
the thunder, that he fancied the gods had got drunk 
over their tipple, and were gone together by the 
ears. They continued scudding all that night under 
their bare poles : the next morning the mainmast 
being sprung in the step, they were forced to cut it 
away, and at the same time, the mizen came by 
the board. These misfortunes made the ship ring 
with blasphemy, which was increased, when, by 
trying the pumps, they found the ship made a great 
deal of water ; though by continually plying them, 
it kept it from gaining upon them. The sloop, as 
well as the ship, was left to the mercy of the winds, 



CAPTAIN BELLAMY. 129 

though the former, not having a tant mast, did not 
lose it. The wind shifting round the compass, made 
so outrageous and short a sea, that they had little 
hopes of safety ; it broke upon the poop, drove in 
the taffarel and washed the two men away from the 
wheel, who w T ere saved in the netting. The wind, 
after four days and three nights, abated its fury, 
and fixed in the N. N. E. point, hourly decreasing, 
and the weather clearing up, they spoke to the 
sloop ; and resolved for the coast of Carolina. They 
continued this course but a day and a night, when 
the wind coming about to the southward, they 
changed their resolution to that of going to Rhode- 
Island. All this while the Whidaw's leak continued, 
and it was as much as the lee pump could do to 
keep the water from gaining, though it was kept 
continually going. Jury-masts were set up, and 
the carpenter finding the leak to be in the bows, 
occasioned by the oakum working out of a seam, 
the crew became very jovial again. The sloop 
received no other damage than the loss of the main- 
sail, which the first flurry tore away from the boom. 
In their cruise off Rhode-Island, the beginning of 
April, they took a sloop commanded by Capt. Beer, 
belonging to Boston, in the lat. of South Carolina, 
40 leagues from land. They put the said captain 
on board the Whidaw, while they rifled and plunder- 
ed his vessel, which Williams and Bellamy proposed 
returning to him, but the crews being averse to it, 
they sunk her, and put the captain ashore upon 
Block Island. 

I cannot pass by in silence, Capt. Bellamy's 
speech to Capt. Beer. / am sorry they won't let you 
have your sloop again, for I scorn to do any one a 

mischief when it is not for my advantage; the 

sloop, we must sink her, and she might be of use to 
you. Though you are a sneaking puppy, and so 
are all those who will submit to be governed by lavjs 



130 CAPTAIN BELLAMY. 

which rich men have made for their own security; 
for the cowardly whelps have not the courage other- 
wise to defend what they get by their knavery ; but 

ye altogether : them for a pack of crafty 

rascals, and you, who serve them, for a parcel of 
hen-hearted numskulls. They vilify us, the scoun- 
drels do, when there is only this difference, they rob 
the poor under the cover of lata, forsooth, and we 
plunder the rich under the protection of our own 
courage. Had you not better make one of us, than 
sneak after these villains for employment ? Capt. 
Beer told hini, that his conscience would not allow 
him to break through the laws of God and man. 
You are a devilish conscience rascal, replied Bella- 
my ; I am a free prince, and I have as much au- 
thority to jpxtke war on the whole world, as he who 
has a hundred sail of ships at sea, and an army of 
100,000 men in the field; and this 7ay conscience tells 
me : but there is no arguing with such snivelling 
puppies, who allow superiors to kick them about deck 
at pleasure. J 

The pirates, wanting neither provision nor water, 
and the Whidaw's damage being repaired, passed 
the time very jovially. 

A fortnight after setting Capt. Beer ashore, Wil- 
liams boarded and took a vessel off Cape Cod, laden 
with wine ; the crew of which increased the num- 
ber of their prisoners. They put seven men on 
board the prize, with orders to keep company with 
the ship and sloop, and left on board her the master. 

As they had been long off the careen, they stood 
away to the northward, and made the best of their 
way to Penobscot river. When they were at the 
mouth of it, it was thought more eligible to careen 
in the river Mechisses. They entered it as agreed, 
and run up about two miles and a half, where they 
came to an anchor with their prizes. The next 
morning all the prisoners were set ashore with 



CAPTAIN BELLAMY. 131 

drivers, and orders to assist in building huts ; the 
guns were also set ashore, and a breast work raised, 
with embrasures for the cannon on each side of the 
river. This took up four days. A magazine was 
dug deep in the earth, and a roof raised over it by 
the poor slaves, the prisoners, whom they treated 
after the same manner as the negroes are used by 
the West-India planters. The powder being secur- 
ed, and every thing out, they hove down the sloop, 
cleaned her, and when she had all in again, they 
careened the Whidaw by the largest prize. 

They now thought of cruising again, and accord- 
ingly steered for Fortune's Bay in Newfoundland. 
They made some prizes on the Banks, forced ail 
the men, and sunk the vessels. 

They had not been long on this coast before they 
were separated by a storm, which held some days. 
Off the island of St. Paul the Whidaw spied a sail, 
which she immediately gave chase to. The ship 
brought to and lay by for her, and proved a French- 
man of 36 guns, carrying soldiers to Quebec. The 
Whidaw engaged with great resolution, and the 
French did not show less, for he boarded the Whi- 
daw and was twice put off, with the loss of men on 
both sides. Bellamy, after two hour's engagement, 
thought the Frenchman too hard a match, and was 
for shaking him off; but his enemy was not as willing 
to part with him, for he gave chase, and as he sailed 
altogether as well as Bellamy, the latter had cer- 
tainly been taken, and had received the due punish- 
ment of his crimes, had not the night coming on 
favoured his escape. He lost in this engagement 
36 hands, besides several wounded. 

The Whidaw returned to the coast of Newfound- 
land, and off Placentia Bay met with his consort and 
the prize. They resolved to visit again the coast 
of New-England, the Whidaw being much shattered 
in the late engagement, having received a great 



132 CAPTAIN BELLAMY. 

many shot in her hull. They ran down this coast, 
and between St. George's Banks and Nantucket 
Shoals, took the Mary Anne. 

The master of the vessel, taken formerly off 
Cape Cod, was left on board her, and as he was 
very well acquainted with the coast, they ordered 
him to carry the light and go ahead ; and the 
pirates commonly kept him at the helm. He upon 
a night of public rejoicing, seeing all the pirates 
drunk, laid hold on the opportunity, and run his 
vessel ashore about midnight, near the land of 
Eastham, out of which he alone escaped with life. 
The Whidaw, steering after the light, met with the 
same fate. The small vessel ran into a sandy bay, 
and the men got ashore without difficulty. 

When the Whidaw struck, the pirates murdered 
all their prisoners, that is, all their forced men ; as 
it is concluded, from the mangled carcasses- which 
were washed ashore ; but not a soul escaped out of 
her or Williams, who was also lost. 

The pirates, to the number of seven, who escaped, 
were seized by the inhabitants, and on the informa- 
tion of the master who escaped, and on their own 
confession, were imprisoned, condemned, and exe- 
cuted. They were all foreigners, very ignorant and 
obstinate ; but by the indefatigable pains of a pious 
and learned divine, who constantly attended them, 
they were at length, by the special grace of God, 
made sensible of, and truly penitent, for the enor-* 
mous crimes they had been guilty of. 



CAPTAIN FLY. 13^ 



CAPTAIN WILLIAM FLY. 



As to the birth of this pirate, we can discover 
nothing by the inquiries we have hitherto made ; 
and indeed had we succeeded in our search, it would 
have been of no great consequence ; for it is cer- 
tain by the behaviour of the man, he must have 
been of very obscure parents; and by his educa- 
tion, (as he was no artist) very unfit in ail respects, 
except that of cruelty, for the villanous business he 
was in. We have been informed, that he had been 
a pirate in a private capacity, and having escaped 
justice, had an opportunity of repenting his former 
crimes, and as a foremast man, or petty officer, of 
getting his bread in a warrantable way/ But no — 
ignorant as he was of letters, he was ambitious of 
power, and capable of the most barbarous actions 
to acquire it. 

Capt. Green, of Bristol, in April, 1726, shipped 
this Fly as boatswain, at Jamaica, being bound, in 
the Elizabeth snow, of Bristol, for the coast of Gui- 
nea. Fly, who had insinuated himself with some 
of the men, whom he found ripe for any villany, re- 
solved to seize the said snow, and murder the cap- 
tain and mate, and taking the command on himself, 
turn pirate. He proposed this his design to his 
brothers in iniquity, who approving it, he,, having 
the watch at one o'clock in the morning, on the 27th 
day of May, went up to one Morrice Cundon, then 
at the helm, accompanied by Alexander Mitchel, 
Henry Hill, Samuel Cole, Thomas Wmthrop> and 
other conspirators, and swore if he spoke one word,' 
or stirred either hand or foot, he would blow his 
brains out; and tucking up his shirt above his elbows, 

12 



134 CAPTAIN FLY. 

with a cutlass in his 4iand, he, with Mitchel, went 
into the captain's cabin, and told him he must turn 
out. The captain, asking 'what was the matter, 
was answered by Mitchel, they had no time to an- 
swer impertinent questions ; that if he would turn 
out and go upon deck quietly, it would save them 
the trouble of scraping the cabin ; if he would not, a 
few buckets of water and a scraper would take his 
blood out of the decks : that they had chosen Capt. 
Fly for commander, and would allow of no other, and 
would not waste their provisions to feed useless men. 
The Captain replied, that since they had so re- 
solved, he should make no resistance; but begged 
they would *ioi murder him, since his living could 
be no obstacle to their designs; that he had never 
been harsh to either of them, and therefore they 
could not kill him out of revenge ; and if it was 
only for their security, he desired, if they would not 
take his word to do nothing to obstruct the mea- 
sures they had resolved on, they would secure him 
in irons, till he might be put somewhere on shore, 
Ah, says Fly, to live and hang us, if we are ever 
taken : no, no, walk up, that bite won't take ; it has 
hanged many an honest felloiv already. Mitchel and 
Fly then laying hold of him, pulled him out of his 
bed. The poor captain entreating them to spare his 
life, for his sours sake, told them he would bind 
himself down by the most solemn oaths, never to 
appear against them ; that he was unfit to appear 
before the judgment-seat of a just and pure God ; 
that he was loaded with sins, and to take him off 
before he had washed those stains, which sullied 
his soul, by the tears of repentance, would be a 
cruelty beyond comparison greater than that of de- 
priving him of life, were he prepared for death, 
since it would be, without any offence committed 
against them, dooming him to eternal misery. How- 
ever, if they would not be persuaded that his life 



CAPTAIN FLY. 135 

Was consistent with their safety, he begged they 
would allow some time to prepare himself for the 
great change: that he begged no oth^r mercy than 
what the justice and compassion of the laws would 

allow them, should they hereafter be taken. 

your bloody said Mitchel, no preaching. Be 

an' you will, what's that to us ? Let him look out 
who has the watch. Upon deck, you dog, for we 
shall lose no more time about you. 

They hauled him into the steerage, and forced 
him upon deck, where one of the hell-hounds asked 
if he had rather take a leap like a brave fellow, or 
to be tossed over like a sneaking rascal ] The cap- 
tain, addressing himself to Fly, said, Boatswain, for 
God's sake don't throw me overboard ; if you do I 
am for ever lost ; Hell's the portion of my crimes. — 

him, answered Fly, since he's so Godly, ive'll 

give him time io say his prayers, and I'll be parson. 
Say after me. Lord have mercy on me. Short 
prayers are best, so no more words and over with 
him, my lads. The captain still cried for mercy, 
and begged an hour's respite only, but all in vain ; 
he was seized by the villains, and thrown overboard. 
He caught, however, and hung by the main sheet, 
which Winthrop seeing, fetched the cooper's broad 
axe, and chopping off the unhappy master's hand, 
he was swallowed up by the sea. 

The captain being thus despatched, Thomas Jen- 
kins, the mate, was secured and brought upon deck, 
to share the same cruel fate. His entreaties were 
as useless as the captain's ; the sentence they had 
passed upon him was not to be reversed; they were 
deaf to his prayers and remonstrances, strangers to 
humanity and compassion. He was of the captain's 
mess, they said, and they should e'en drink together; 
it was pity to part good company. 

Thus they jested with his agonies. He, however, 
made some struggle, which irritating his murderers, 



136 CAPTAIN FLYi 

one of them snatched up the axe, with which Win- 
throp had lopped off the captain's hand, and gave 
him a great cut on the shoulder, by missing his head, 
where the blow was aimed, and he was thrown into 
the sea. He swam, notwithstanding, and called out 
to the doctor to throw him a rope, who, poor man, 
could not hear him, being secured, and laid in irons 
in his own cabin ; and had he heard, and been able 
to have thrown the rope required, could it be ex- 
pected that these hardened wretches would have 
relented, and shown him mercy] But the sinking 
man will catch at a straw, and hope, they say, is the 
last that deserts us. While we have life we are apt 
to flatter ourselves some lucky accident may fa- 
vour us. 

It was next debated what should be done with the 
doctor. Some were for sending him to look after 
the captain and mate; but the majority, as he was 
a useful man, thought it better to keep him. All 
obstacles being removed, Mitchel saluted Fly cap- 
tain, and with the rest of the crew who had been 
in the conspiracy, with some ceremony, gave him 
possession of the great cabin. 

Here a bowl of punch being made, Morrice Cun- 
don was called down, and one John Fitzherbert set 
to the helm in his place. At the same time the car- 
penter and Thomas Streaton were brought before 
the captain, who told them they were three rascals, 
and richly deserved to be sent after the captain and 
mate, but that they were willing to show them 
mercy, and not put them to death in cold blood, and 
he would therefore only put them in irons, for the se- 
curity of the ship's crew. They were accordingly 
ordered out, and ironed. Fly then told his com- 
rades it was convenient to resolve on some course, 
when word was brought them, that a ship was very 
near them. The council broke up, and made a 
clear ship, when in a very little while after, they 



CAPTAIN FLY. 137 

found it was the Pompey, which had left Jamaica in 
company with the snow. The Pompey, standing 
for the snow, which did not make from her, soon 
hailed and asked how Capt. Green did, and was 
answered by Fly, that he was very well. They did 
not think fit to attack this ship, but returned to hold 
their consultation, it was resolved to steer for North- 
Carolina. 

Upon their arrival on that coast they spied a sloop 
at anchor within the bar. She was called the John 
and Hannah, and commanded by Capt. Fulker, who 
thinking the snow might want a pilot, stepped into 
his boat with his mate, Mr. Atkinson, and Mr. Roan, 
two passengers, and a young lad, in order to bring 
her in. When they came on board, they were told f 
that the snow was from Jamaica, with a cargo. 
Capt. Fulker and Mr. Roan were desired to walk 
down to the captain, who was in the cabin. Fly re- 
ceived them very civilly, ordered a bowl of punch, 
and hearing Capt Fulker had brought another pas- 
senger on board, Mr. Atkinson was also invited down. 

The punch being brought in, Capt. Fly told his 
guest, that he was no man to mince matters; that he 
and his comrades were gentlemen of fortune, and 
should make bold to try if Capt. Fulkefs sloop was 
a better sailer than the snow. If she was, she would 
prove much fitter for their business, and they must 
have her. The snow came to an anchor about a 
league off the sloop, and Fly ordered Fulker, with 
six of his own hands, into the boat to bring hei along 
side of the snow ; but the wind proving contrary, 
their endeavours proved also vain, and they returned 
again in the boat, bringing Capt. Fulker back with 
them. As soon as they got on board the snow, Fly 
fell into a violent passion, cursing and abusing Ful- 
ker for not bringing off the sloop. He gave him his 
reason, and said it was impossible. You lie you dog, 
replied the pirate, but your hide shall pay for your 

12* 



? 



138 CAPTAIN FLY. 

roguery, and if I canH bring her off, Vll burn her 
where she lies. He then ordered Capt. Fulker to the 
geers ; no reason, no arguments could prevail ; he 
was stripped and lashed after a very inhuman man- 
ner; and the boat's crew being sent again, with 
much ado carried her off as far as the bar, where 
she bilged and sunk. The pirates then endeavoured 
to set what remained of her out of water on fire, but 
they could not burn her. 

The snow getting under sail to look out for some 
booty, Fulker and the others desired they might be 
set at liberty, but it was denied them for the present, 
thoug!i not without a promise that they should be 
released the first vessel they took. On the 5th of 
June they left Carolina, and the next day spied a 
sail, which proved the John and Betty, commanded 
by Capt. Gale, bound from Barbadoes to Guinea. 
Fly gave chase, but finding the ship wronged him, 
he made a signal of distress, hoisting his jack at the 
main-top-mast head ; but this decoy did not hinder 
the ship making the best of her way. Fly continued 
the. chase all night, and the wind slackening, he 
came within shot of the ship, and fired several guns 
at her under his black ensign. The ship being of no 
force, and the pirates ready to board, the captain 
struck; and Fly, manning his long-boat, the crew 
being well armed with pistols and cutlasses, went 
on board the prize, and sent Capt. Gale, after hav- 
ing secured his men, prisoner on board the snow. 
This prize was of little value to the pirates, who took 
nothing but some sail-cloth and small arms, and after 
two days let her go, but took away six of his men, 
setting on board Capt. Fulker, a passenger, and 
Capt. Green's surgeon. They kept Mr. Atkinson, 
knowing he was a good artist, and lately master of 
the Boneta brigantine, as a pilot for the coast of 
New-England, which they were satisfied he was 
well acquainted with. 



CAPTAIN FLY. 139 

Upon Mr. Atkinson's desiring to have his liberty 
with the others, Capt. Fly refused it with the most 
horrid oaths and imprecations, and insisted upon it 
that he should act as their pilot; assuring him at the 
same time, if he piloted them wrong, his life should 
be the forfeit. 

Mr. Atkinson answered, it was very hard he should 
be forced to take upon himself the pilotage, when 
he did not pretend to know the coast, and that his 
life should answer for any mistake his ignorance of 
it might make him guilty of, and therefore begged 
he might be set on board Capt. Gale; and that they 
would trust to their own knowledge, since he did 
not doubt there being better artists on board. No, 
no, replied Fly, that won't do — your palavering won't 
save your bacon : so either discharge your trust like 
an honest man, (for go you shan't) or Pll send you 
ivith my service to the d — I: so no more words about 
the matter. 

There was no reply made, and they stood for the 
coast of New-England. Off Delaware Bay they 
made a sloop, commanded by one Harris, bound 
from New-York to Pennsylvania. She had on board 
about fifty passengers. Fly gave chase, and coming 
up with her, hoisted his black ensign, and ordered 
her to strike, which she immediately did; and Fly 
sent Capt. Atkinson on board, to sail her, though he 
would not allow him (Atkinson) any arms. The 
pirates ransacked this prize, but not finding her of 
any use to them, after a detention of 24 hours, they 
let her go, with her men, excepting only a well 
made young fellow, whose name was James Ben- 
brooke, whom they kept. 

Fly, after having released the prize, ordered Capt 
Atkinson to carry the snow into Martha's Vineyard, 
but he wilfully missed this place. Fly, finding him- 
self beyond Nantucket, and that his design wa3 
balked, called to Atkinson, and told him he was a 



140 CAI»TAIN FLY. 

rascally scoundrel, and that it was apiece of cruelty 
to let such a villain live, who designed the death of 
so many honest fellows. Atkinson, in his defence, 
said, he never pretended to know the coast, and that 
it was very hard he should die for being thought an 
abler man than he really was. Had he pretended to 
be their pilot, and did not know his business, he de- 
served punishment; but when he was forced upon 
a business which he before declared he did not un- 
derstand, it would be certainly cruel to make him 
suffer for their mistake. You are an obstinate villain, 
replied Fly, and your design is to hang us; but 
blood and wounds, you dog, you shan't live to see it 
— and saying this, he ran into his cabin and brought 
a pistol, with design to shoot Atkinson; but by the 
interposition of Mitchel, who thought him innocent 
of any design, he escaped. 

Atkinson, who perceived his life every minute in 
danger, began to ingratiate himself with the pirates, 
and gave them hopes, that with good and gentle 
usage, he might be brought to join them. This he 
did not say in express terms, but by words he now 
and then let drop, as by accident. They were not 
a little rejoiced at the idea of having so good an ar- 
tist to join them; nay some of them hinted to him, 
that if he would take upon him the command, they 
were ready to dispossess Capt. Fly, who carried his 
command too high, and was known to all the crew 
to be no artist, and to understand nothing beyond 
the business of a boatswain. Atkinson thought it his 
interest to keep them in the opinion that he would 
join ; but always declined hearing any thing as to 
the command. " 

This made him less severely used, and protected 
him from the insults of Fly, who imagined he would 
betray them the first opportunity, and therefore more 
than once proposed his being thrown overboard, 
which was never approved by the snow's company. 



captain fly. 141 

From Nantucket they stood to the eastward, and 
off Brown's Bank made a fishing schooner. Fly, 
coming up with her, fired a gun, and hoisting his 
black ensign, swore, if they did not instantly bring 
to, and send their boat on board, he would sink her. 
The schooner obeyed, and sent away her boat on 
board the snow. He examined the captain as to 
what vessels were to be met with, and promised, if 
lie could put him in the way of meeting with a good 
sailer, to let him go, and give him his vessel, or he 
should otherwise keep her. The poor man told him 
he had a companion which would soon be in sight, 
and was a much better vessel. Accordingly about \% 
at noon, the same day, which was the 23d of June, 
the other schooner hove in sight ; upon which Fly 
manned this prize with six pirates and a prisoner 
named George Tasker, and sent her in chase, hav- 
ing himself on board the snow, no more than three 
pirates, Capt. Atkinson, (who had worked himself 
into some favour with him) and fifteen forced men; 
but he took care to have his arms upon deck by him. 

The men who had not taken on with Fly, were, 
Atkinson, Capt. Fulker's mate, and two youths be- 
longing to him ; the carpenter and gunner belong- 
ing to Capt. Green ; six of Capt. Gale's men, and 
the aforesaid Benbrooke, who belonged to Capt. 
Harris, with three of the men out of the schooner. 
Atkinson, seeing the prisoners and forced men were 
five to one of the pirates, thought of delivering him- 
self from the bondage he was in : and as by good 
luck several other fishing vessels hove in sight, right 
ahead of the snow, he called to Capt, Fly, and told 
him he spied several other vessels ahead, desiring 
he would come forward and bring his glass. Fly 
did so, and leaving his arms on the quarter deck, 
sat on the windlass to see if he could make out what 
they were. Atkinson, who had concerted his mea- 
sures with one Walker and the above mentioned 



142 CAPTAIN FLY. 

Benbrooke, secured the arms on the quarter deck, 
and gave them a signal to seize Fly ; which they 
did, with very little trouble, and afterwards made 
themselves masters of the other three pirates and 
the snow, the rest of the prisoners, not knowing any 
thing of, or what the design might be, remaining 
altogether inactive, and brought the snow and pi- 
rates to Great Brewster, where a guard was put on 
board, June 28, 1726. 

Soon after, the said pirates were brought to their 
trial, that is, on the 4th of July following, before the 
Honourable William Dummer, Esq. Lieutenant Go- 
vernor and commander in chief of the province of 
Massachusetts Bay, President of the Special Court 
of Admiralty, at the court-house of Boston, assisted 
by 18 gentlemen of the council; before whom they 
were found guilty of murder and piracy, condemned 
to be executed, and accordingly were executed the 
12th of July. Fly was ordered to be hanged in 
chains at the entrance of the harbour of Boston. 
Thus ended the short reign of an obdurate wretch, 
who only wanted skill and power, to be as infamous 
as any who scoured the seas. The names of the 
three pirates, executed with him, were, Samuel Cole, 
George Condick, and Henry Greenvil. 



CAPTAIN HOWARD. 143 



CAPTAIN THOMAS HOWARD. 



We have said, in another life, viz. White's that he 
was a lighterman on the river Thames. His father 
was of that business, and had the character of a 
very honest man. After his father's decease, he 
grew very extravagant, and squandered away not 
only what he had left his son, but what he had al- 
lotted for his widow, whose indulgence, putting 
every thing into her son's hands, was followed by 
being herself turned out of doors, for he sold the 
house over her head. After having ruined himself 
and mother, his friends fearing the wickedness of 
his inclination would bring scandal upon them, per- 
suaded him to go to sea, and procured him a voyage 
to Jamaica, on board a merchant ship. At this 
island he ran away from his ship, and associating 
himself with some desperate fellows, they stole a 
canoe, and went away to the Grand Camanas, to 
join some others of their own stamp, who lurked 
thereabouts, with design to go on the account, the 
term for pirating. They met those they looked for, 
made up a company of 20 men, surprised and made 
themselves masters of a turtling sloop, and set out 
in search of booty. 

The first prizes they made were only turtlers, 
which, however, increased the number of their 
crew, some being willing to join them, others being 
forced, with threats of being set ashore on some 
desolate key. After some time cruising, they met 
with an Irish brigantine, which had provisions and 
servants on board. They made an exchange with 
the master, gave him provision to carry him to Ja- 



144 CAPTAIN HOWARD. 

maica, and allowed five hands to go with him. The 
rest (except the servants, who readily took on with 
the pirates) were all forced. Not long after, they 
surprised a sloop which had been trading on the 
Spanish coast. As she had 6 guns, and was a fit 
vessel for their turn, they changed her against the 
brigantine. Several hands belonging to this sloop 
entered volunteers, and several more were obliged 
to join them by compulsion. After this capture, 
they steered for the coast of Virginia, and in their 
way, met with a large New-England brigantine, 
laden with provisions, bound for Barbadoes. This 
they made prize of, and shifting their own guns 
on board her, sent the master away in the sloop, 
after forcing some of his men with them. They 
had now a vessel of ten guns, and a crew of 80 men, 
of whom one James was captain, and Howard quar- 
ter-master. 

While they lay.on the coast of Virginia, they made 
prize of several ships from England, out of which 
they took men, liquors, provisions, clothes, and 
whatever else they liked or thought necessary. As 
these ships had several felons on board, who were 
transports, they had out of them a number of volun- 
teers, besides forced men ; so that they had a large 
complement. Among other Virginia ships which 
fell into their hands, they made prize, with little 
trouble, of a fine galley, mounted with 24 guns, 
which afforded them a great many volunteers, as 
she had a number of transported malefactors and 
servants on board. They changed their brigantine 
for this ship, and soon after, the man of war, which 
waited on this coast, heaving in sight, they thought 
proper to take their departure. 

From the coast of Virginia, they shaped their 
course for that of Guinea, where they took a great 
many ships of different nations, all which they rifled 
of what they thought fit. Out of these ships they 



CAPTAIN HOWARD. 145 

forced on board a number of men, equal to the 
number of those formerly compelled, who desired, 
and whom they permitted, to be discharged, after 
much entreaty. 

After they had been some months on the coast, 
they spied a large three decked Portuguese ship, 
from Brazil, mounted with 36 guns. They gave 
chase and came up with her. The captain would 
make no resistance ; But his mate, who was an Eng- 
lishman, named Rutland, thinking it a shame to 
give up such a ship, resolved to defend her; which 
the Portuguese captain consented to, but went him- 
self out of harm's way. Rutland, who had been 
master of an English brigantine, taken from him on 
the same coast by another gang of pirates, fought 
them the better part of a forenoon ; but the Portu- 
guese flying the decks, and only 30 men, who were 
English, Dutch, and French, standing by him, he 
was obliged to ask quarters, which were give::. 
When the pirates came on board, they asked Rut- 
land if he was commander ? He answered," no. 
They inquired after him, and being told he was some- 
where in the hold, they searched, and found him hid 
in the powder room ; whence they hauled him up, 
and whipped him round the deck fer his cowardice. 
Rutland, and those who fought the ship, were forced 
onboard, and their complement being now 180 men, 
they exchanged their galley for the Portuguese 
ship, carried her in shore, and ripping off her upper 
deck, made her deep waisted, by cutting down 
some of her gunnel. This prize they named the 
Alexander. 

They went down the coast in this ship, and made 
several prizes, some of which they discharged, and 
put on board such of their forced men as begged 
their discharge ; others they sunk, and burnt others ; 
but forced on board all carpenters, caulkers, armour- 
ers, surgeons, and musicians. In their way to Cape 

13 



146 CAPTAIN HOWARD. 

Lopez, where they designed, and afterwards did 
clean, they found a large Bristol ship at an anchor, 
which had lost a great many men by sickness, and 
had then but few healthy on board, who got into the 
boat, and endeavoured to get on shore, but were 
prevented by the pirates. Here they changed some 
more of their forced men, and did intend to change 
their ship ; but on a survey, found the Bristol ship, 
too old for their purpose, and therefore left her at 
an anchor, after they had taken what they thought 
of use to them. This ship belonged to one Mr. 
Godly, of Bristol. 

They met with nothing else in their way to Cape 
Lopez, where they cleaned their ship, took in wood 
and water, and then stood away to sea again. At 
their leaving Cape Lopez, they spied an English 
ship, which they came up with and engaged. The 
merchantman made an obstinate defence, and find- 
ing the design to board, made to close quarters. 
Howard, and seven or eight more, entered ; but 
the pirate's boatswain not having secured his lash- 
ing, they fell astern, and left these men on board 
the merchant ship, who seeing themselves in dan- 
ger, hauled up the boat, which the chase had 
astern, and cutting the rope, got on board the 
Alexander, which being considerably the larger 
ship, and drawing a greatxleal more water, stuck on 
an unknown bank, which the merchantman went 
over, and by this lucky accident escaped. 

This obliged the pirates to start their water, and 
throw over the wood to get the ship off, which put 
them under a necessity of going back to Cape Lo- 
pez to take in those necessaries. After having a 
second time wooded and watered, they put again to 
sea, fell in with and took two Portuguese brigan- 
tines, which they burnt, and setting the men on 
shore, they made for, and doubled the Cape of 
Good Hope, and shaped their course for Madagas- 



CAPTAIN HOWARD. 147 

fear, where to the northward of, and near a small 
island, they run the ship on a reef, where she stuck 
fast. The captain being then sick in his bed, the 
men went ashore on the small adjacent island, and 
carried off a great deal of provision and water to 
lighten the ship, on board of which none but the 
captain, the quarter-master, and about eleven more 
were left. 

The quarter-master, who was Howard, with the 
others, took all the treasure, put it on board the 
boats, and made off for the main of Madagascar. 
The captain, hearing nobody stir upon deck, made 
shift to crawl out of his cabin, and seeing them put 
off, fired the two fore chase guns at them, which 
alarmed (to no purpose) the men ashore. As the 
sea ebbed, the ship lay dry, and they could walk to 
her from the island. She might have been saved 
had they the beats to carry out an anchor ; but for 
want of them they brought every thing ashore, at 
tide of flood, upon rafts. As the ship lay in a quiet 
place, they had opportunity to rip her up, and 
build a vessel out of her wreck. The major part of 
the crew being English and Dutch, who sided 
together, they forced about 36 Portuguese and 
French (thinking their crew two numerous for their 
provisions in the present circumstances) to get up- 
on a raft, and take their chance with the sea-breeze 
to get to the island of Madagascar, about three 
leagues from them. They finished a vessel of 60 
tons, but the day they designed to have launched 
her, a pirate brigantine hove in sight, who took them 
on board. 

Howard and his consorts stood along the W. side 
of the island, with design to round the N. end, and 
to go to St. Mary's, but finding the current too 
strong to stem, they lay there about a fortnight. 
In the interim they spied three sail of tall ships, 
which were men of \var under Commodore Little* 



148 CAPTAIN HOWARD. 

ton, viz. the Anglesa, Hastings, and Lizard, who had 
carried a pardon to the island of St. Mary's, accepted 
of by many of the pirates. Thinking these might 
be also pirates, they made a smoke, which brought 
the boats ashore; but finding they were men of 
war's boats, the pirates thought fit to abscond ; 
wherefore, finding nothing nor any body, the said 
men of war's boats returned, and the ships kept 
their cruise. 

They had here plenty of fish and wild hogs which 
they found in the woods. One day, when Howard 
was hunting, his comrades took the opportunity," 
went off, rounded the north end, and left Mr. How- 
ard to provide for himself 

About four or five-and-twenty leagues from the 
Cape, they went into a fine harbour on the east side, 
not frequented, nay, hardly known to the European 
ships. They w^ere here received handsomely, 
treated and provided with fresh meat, and what 
necessaries {hey wanted, by the king of this district, 
whose name was Mushmango, who had formerly 
been driven from Augustin by war, and travelling 
through the heart of the country, had here fixed his 
settlement. When the boats were victualled, and 
while Johnson, who took on him the command 
after they had deserted Howard, was ashore with 
three more, the rest went off with the boats and 
booty, and stood away to the southward, along the 
coast, designing for St. Mary's, going every night 
into some harbour, or coming to an anchor under 
some point when the winds proved contrary. 

Johnson addressed himself to the king, and told 
him the boat and goods were his property; upon 
which he went along shore with a number of 
men, and found the boat at an anchor, and all asleep, 
except one to look out, at whom the king fired his 
blunderbuss, and killed him. The report of the 
piece awakened the others, who cut and stood off 



CAPTAIN HOWARD. 149> 

the coast. The king returned, gave Johnson an 
account of his expedition, and furnished him a canoe, 
some calabashes of fresh water, provisions, and 
lances, that he might pursue after his people. John- 
son kept the shore on board till he came to the 
island of St. Mary's, where he heard his comrade 
fugitives were gone to, and settled at Ambonavoula, 
in a village belonging to the natives on the river of 
Manansallang. Leaving his canoe, he went into 
one belonging to an inhabitant, who carried him to 
his companions. 

After he had been here some few months, Four- 
gette, already mentioned in White's life, came in 
with his ship from Martinico. With this vessel they 
sailed to the west side, and came to an anchor at an 
island called Anquawla, 30 leagues from the place 
where they left Howard. 

Some ofthe subjects of the king of Anquawla had 
before met with, and brought hither, Capt. Howard, 
who seeing the ship at anchor near shore, hailed 
her, and desired the boat might be sent to fetch him 
off, which was accordingly done, and he joined the 
rest of the crew. -Here two boys ran away from 
them, whom they demanded of the king ; but he 
not delivering them, they went ashore by day-break, 
surprised his town, and brought off twelve of his 
concubines, whom they detained on board, till their 
boys, who were blacks, were returned, and then de- 
livered them back. From this ship he went on 
board the Speaker, where he continued till she was 
lost on Mauritius, when he came back to Madagas- 
car, and settled at Augustin. Here he tarried till 
the Prosperous, a ship of 36 guns, commanded by 
Capt. Hilliard, came in, which Howard and some 
other pirates (with the assistance of the boatswain 
and some ofthe crew belonging to the ship,) seized. 
In taking this ship, the captain and his chief mate 
were killed, and several others wounded. Howard 

13* 



150 CAPTAIN HOWARD. 

was by the company declared captain. Several of 
the ship's crew took on with them, and they went 
round the south end to the east side, till they came 
the length of Maritan, where they found some of 
the Speaker's company, whom they took on board, 
and made up their complement about 70 men. 

From hence they steered for the island of St. Ma- 
ry's, where they heeled their ship, watered, wood- 
ed, and shipped some more hands. Here they had 
an invitation from one Ort Van Tyle, who lived on ; 
the main of Madagascar, to come to the ceremonv 
of christening two of his children. They were kindly 
received and treated by him, but it having been re- 
ported that this Ort Van Tyle had murdered some 
pirates, they in revenge, though they had no cer- 
tainty of the fact, took him prisoner, plundered his 
house, and what goods they could not take off in a 
great canoe belonging to him, they threw into the 
river or burnt. Ort Van Tyle they designed to carry 
on board, and hang at yard arm ; but one of the pi- 
rates helped him to escape, and he took into the 
woods, where meeting some of his blacks, he way- 
laid his canoe and Howard's pinnace, by the river 
side. Besides what goods they had on board of this 
Dutchman's, they had several women and children 
belonging to him and some white men, who had left 
them under his care. The pirates set the women 
to the paddles, and the canoe was overset on the 
bar ; Ort Van Tyle fired on the men, and shot one 
through the arm and through the thigh, whom with 
his comrade, he took prisoner, and kept with him. 
The rest of the men got ashore on the south side 
of the river and escaped him ; the women on the 
north side, and returned home. When the pinnace 
came down, he fired and shot the captain through 
the arm, but he got on board, where his arm was 
set. After this, the Prosperous sailed for Methe- 
lage, where they victualled, with a design to go to 



CAPTAIN HOWARD. 151 

the East-Indies. While they lay here, came in a 
large Dutch ship, well manned, and of 40 guns. 
The Prosperous was not strong enough to attack 
her, and the Dutch, fearing he should spoil his 
trade, would not meddle with Capt. Howard, though 
hard words passed, and the Dutchman threatened 
to fall foul on him if he did not leave the place, which 
Howard thought fit to do, and sailed to Mayotta. 

A few days after the departure of the Prosperous, 
Capt. Bowen, in the Scotch ship, came in, anchored 
within small arm shot, and right ahead of the Dutch- 
man, whom he saluted with 11 guns, shot and all, 
which the other returned with 15, after the same 
manner ; drums beating and trumpets sounding on 
both sides. The Dutchman, however, was sur- 
prised, and under apprehensictes. He hailed the 
pirate, and answer was returned, From the sects. 
He then bid them send their boat on board, which 
accordingly went with the quarter-master, who told 
the captain, that they had no design on him, but 
were going against the Moors, and came in for 
provision. He replied, they could get none there, 
and the best way was to be gone; however, the 
quarter-master went ashore, (where tha Dutch had 
made his factory, and had some goods) and shot 
down three oxen, which he ordered the natives to 
help to cut in pieces. The Dutchman, perceiving 
a friendship between the natives and pirates, seeing 
Bowen full of men, and hearing two more pirates 
were expected, thought fit to go off in the night, 
and leave the goods he had put on shore. 

A few days after, Bowen, seizing the goods left, 
went for Mayotta, where he joined the Prosperous, 
and lay for the season to go to the East-Indies. 
After some stay here, their salt provisions perishing, 
they returned to Madagascar to revictual, Bowen to 
St. Augustin, and Howard (on board of whose ship 
was Capt. Whaley, taken as related in Bowen's life) 



152 CAPTAIN HOWARD. 

to Methelage, agreeing to meet at the island of St. 
Johns, to lie for the Moors fleet ; where, after some 
disappointments, they met, and got sight of the 
Moors fleet, one of which fell a prize to Bowen ; but 
the Prosperous, being a heavy sailer, did not come 
up with them till they were at an anchor at the bar 
of Surat, where they waited to lighten. The Moors, 
seeing few hands on board, for Howard concealed 
his men, and not imagining a pirate would ven- 
ture up, concluded him an English East-Xndiaman, 
Howard clapped the largest on board, which stood 
him a smart engagement, and killed him about 30 
men. At length the pirates forced Capt. Whaley, 
who spoke the Moors language, to go on board and 
offer quarter, which they accepted. There was on 
board this prize a nobleman belonging to the Great 
Mogul, who had been at Juffa to buy horses for his 
master. The prize yielded them a great booty, 
though they found but part of the money which was 
on board. They intended to carry her to Madagas- 
car, but her bowsprit being wounded in the board- 
ing, she lost all her masts ; wherefore they sent her 
adrift, and she ran ashore at Deman, belonging to 
the Portuguese. 

From hence he steered to the Malabar coast, 
where he met Bowen and his prize, which mounted 
56 guns. Both crews went on board, Bowen, sunk 
the Prosperous, and burnt the Scotch ship, called 
the Speedy Return. Hence they stood alcmg the 
coast of India ; and Howard, with about 20 more, 
landed with what they had, and retired among the 
natives, where Howard married a woman of the 
country, and being a morose, ill-natured fellow, and 
using her ill, he was murdered by her relations. 



CAPTAIN LEWIS. 153 



CAPTAIN LEWIS. 



This worthy gentleman was an early pirate. We 
first find him a boy on board the pirate Banister, 
who was hanged at the yard arm of a man of war 
in sight of Port Royal, Jamaica. This Lewis and 
another boy were taken with him, and brought into 
the island hanging by the middle at the mizen peak. 
He had a great aptitude for languages, and spoke 
perfectly well that of the Mosquil Indians, the 
French, Spanish, and English. I mention our own, 
because it is doubted whether he was French or 
English, for we cannot trace him back to his origin. 
|T e cg^pd out of J*™*jca till he was a lustv lad, and 

was then taken by the Spaniards at the Havana, 
where he tarried some time ; but at length he and 
six more ran away with a small canoe, and surprised 
a Spanish periagua, out of which two men joined 
them, so that they were now nine in company. 
With this periagua they surprised a turtling sloop, 
and forced some of the hands to take on with them : 
the others they sent away in the periagua. 

He played at this small game, surprising and 
taking coasters and turtlers, till with forced men 
and volunteers he made up a company of 4*0 men. 
With these he took a large pink built ship, bound 
from Jamaica to the bay of Campeachy, and after 
her, several others bound to the same place ; and 
having intelligence that there lay in the bay a fine 
Bermuda built brigantine of 10 guns, commanifed 
by Capt. Tucker, he sent the captain of the pink 
to him with a letter, the purport of which was, that 
he wanted such a brigantine, and if he would part 



154 CAPTAIN LEWIS. 

with her, he would pay him 10,000 pieces of eight ; 
if he refused this, he would take care to lie in his 
way, for he was resolved, either by fair or foul 
means, to have the vessel. Capt. Tucker, having 
read the letter, sent for the masters of vessels then 
lying in the bay, and told them, after he had shown 
the letter, that if they would make him up 54 men, 
(for there were about ten Bermuda sloops) he would 
go out and fight the pirates. They said no, they 
would not hazard their men, they depended on their 
sailing, and every one must take care of himself as 
well as he could. 

However, they all put to sea together, and spied 
a sail under the land, which had a breeze while 
they lay becalmed. Some said he was a turtler ; 
others, the pirate, and so it proved ; for it was ho- 
nest Capt. Lewis, who putting out his oars, got in 
among them. Some of the sloops had four guns, 
some two, gome none, Joseph Dill had two. which 
he brought on one side, and fired smartly at the 
pirate, but unfortunately one of them split, and killed 
three men. Tucker called to all the sloops to send 
him men, and he would fight Lewis, but to no pur- 
pose ; nobody came on board him. In the mean 
while a breeze sprung up, and Tucker, trimming 
his sails, left them, who all fell a prey to the pirate ; 
into whom, however, he fired a broadside at going 
off. One sloop, whose master I will not name, was 
a very good sailer, and was going off; but Lewis 
firing a shot, brought her to, and he lay by till all 
the sloops were visited and secured. Then Lewis 
sent on board him, and ordered the master into his 
sloop. As soon as he was aboard, he asked the 
reason of his lying by, and betraying the trust his 
owners had reposed in him, which was doing like a 
knave and coward, and he would punish him accord- 
ingly ; for, said he, you might have got off, being so 
much a better sailer than my vessel After this 



CAPTAIN LEWIS, 155 

speech, he fell upon him with a rope's end, and then 
snatching up his cane, drove him about the decks 
without mercy. The master, thinking to pacify 
him, told him he had been out trading in that sloop 
several months, and had on board a good quantity 
of money, which was hid, and which, if he would 
send on board a black belonging to the owners, he 
would discover to him. This had not the desired 
effect, but one quite contrary ; for Lewis told him 
he was a rascal and villain for this discovery, and 
he would pay him for betraying his owners, and 
redoubled his strokes. However, he sent and took 
the money and negro, who was an able sailor. He 
took out of his prizes what he had occasion for, 40 
able negro sailors, and a white carpenter. The 
largest sloop, which was about 90 tons, he took for 
his own use, and mounted her with 12 guns. His 
crew was now about 80 men, whites and blacks. 

After these captures, he cruised in the -Gulf of 
Florida, laying in wait for the West-India homeward 
bound ships that took the leeward passage, several 
of which, falling into his hands, were plundered by 
him, and released. From hence he went to the 
coast of Carolina, where he cleaned his sloop, and 
a great many men, whom he had forced, ran away 
from him. However, the natives traded with him 
for rum and sugar, and brought him all he wanted, 
without the government's having any knowledge of 
him, for he had got into a very private creek ; 
though he was very much on his guard, that he 
might not be surprised from the shore. 

From Carolina he cruised on the coast of Vir- 
ginia, where he took and plundered several mer- 
chantmen, and forced several men, and then re- 
turned to the coast of Carolina, where he did abun- 
dance of mischief. As he had now an abundance 
of French on board, who had entered with him, and 
Lewis, hearing the English had a design to maroon 



156 CAPTAIN LEWIS, 

them, he secured the men he suspected, and put 
them in a boat, with all the other English, ten 
leagues from shore, with only ten pieces of beef, 
and sent them away, keeping none but French and 
negroes. These men, it is supposed, all perished 
in the sea. 

From the coast of Carolina he shaped his course 
for the banks of Newfoundland, where he over- 
hauled several fishing vessels, and then went into 
Trinity Harbour in Conception Bay, where there lay 
several merchantmen, and seized a 24 gun galley, 
called the Herman. The commander, Capt. Beal, 
told Lewis, if he would send his quarter-master 
ashore he would furnish him with necessaries. He 
being sent ashore, a council was held among the 
masters, the consequence of which was, the seizing 
the quarter-master, whom they carried to Captain 
Woodes Rogers. He chained him to a sheet an- 
chor which was ashore, and planted guns at the point, 
to prevent the pirate getting out, but to little pur- 
pose; for the people from one of these points firing 
too soon, Lewis quitted the ship, and, by the help of 
oars and the favour of the night, got out in his sloop, 
though she received many shot in her hull. The 
last shot that was fired at the pirate did him con- 
siderable damage. 

He lay off and on the harbour, swearing he would 
have his quarter-master, and intercepted two fish- 
ing shallops, on board of one of which was the cap- 
tain of the galley's brother. He detained them, 
and sent word, if his quarter-master did not imme- 
diately come off, he would put all his prisoners to 
death. He was sent on board wjthout hesitation. 
Lewis and the crew inquired how he had been used, 
and he answered, very civilly. " It's well," said the 
pirate, " for had you been ill treated, I would have 
put all these rascals to the sword." They were dis- 
missed, and the captain's brother going over the 



CAPTAIN LEWIS. , 15? 

side, the quarter-master stopped him, saying, he 
must drink the gentlemen's health ashore, particu- 
larly Capt. Rogers', and, whispering him in the 
ear, told him, if the crew had known of his being 
chained all night, he would have been cut in pieces, 
with all his men. After this poor man and his shal- 
lop's company were gone, the quarter-master told 
the usage he had met with, which enraged Lewis, 
and made him reproach his quarter-master, whose 
answer was, that he did not think it just the inno- 
cent should suffer for the guilty. 

The masters of the merchantmen sent to Capt 
Tudor Trevor, who lay at St. John's in the Sheer- 
ness man of war. He immediately got under sai!, 
and missed the pirate but four hours. She kept 
along the coast and made several prizes, French 
and English, and put into a harbour where a French 
ship lay making fish. She was built at the latter 
end of the war, for a privateer, was an excellent 
sailer, and mounted 24 guns. The commander 
hailed him : the pirate answered, from Jamaica with 
rum and sugar. The Frenchman bid him go about 
his business ; that a pirate sloop was on the coast, 
and he might be the rogue : if he did not immedi-~ 
ately sheer off, he would fire a broadside into him. 
He went off and lay a fortnight out at sea, so far as 
Xiot to be descried from shore, with resolution to 
have the ship. The Frenchman being on his guard, 
in the mean while raised a battery on the shore, 
which commanded the harbour. After a fortnight, 
when he was thought to be gone off, he returned, 
and took two of the fishing shallops belonging to 
the Frenchman, and manning them with pirates, 
they went in. One shallop attacked the battery; 
the other surprised, boarded, and carried the ship, 
just as the morning star appeared, for which reason 
he gave her that name. In the engagement the 
owner's son was killed, who made the vovage out 

14 



158 CAPTAIN LEWIS. 

of curiosity only. The ship being taken, seven 
guns were fired, which was the signal, and the sloop 
came down and lay along side the ship. The cap- 
tain told him he supposed he only wanted his liquor ; 
but Lewis made answer, he wanted his ship, and ac- 
cordingly hoisted all his ammunition and provision 
into her. When the Frenchman saw they would 
take away his ship, he told her trim, and Lewis gave 
him the sloop ; and, excepting what he took for pro- 
vision, all the fish he had made. Several of the 
French took on with him, who, with others, English 
and French, had by force or voluntarily, made him 
up 200 men. 

From Newfoundland he steered for the coast of 
Guinea, where he took a great many ships, English, 
Dutch, and Portuguese. Among these ships was 
one belonging to Carolina, commanded by Capt. 
Smith. While he was in chase of this vessel an 
accident happened, which made his men believe he 
dealt with the devil ; for he carried away his fore 
and main-top-mast; he, Lewis, running up the 
shrouds to the main-top, tore off a handful of hair, 
and throwing it into the air, used this expression, 
good devil, take this till I come. And it was ob- 
served, that he came afterwards faster up with the 
chase than before the loss of his top-masts. 

Smith being taken, Lewis used him very civilly, 
and gave him as much, or more in value than he* 
took from him, and let him go, saying, he would 
come to Carolina when he had made money on the 
coast, and would rely on his friendship. 

They kept some time on the coast, when they 
quarrelled among themselves, the French and Eng- 
lish, of which the former was more numerous, and 
they resolved to part. The French therefore chose 
a large sloop newly taken, thinking the ship's bot- 
tom, which was not sheathed, damaged by the 
jworms. According to this agreement they took on 



CAPTAIN LEWIS. 159 

board what ammunition and provision they thought 
fit out of the ship, and put off, choosing one Le Barre 
captain. As it blew hard, and the decks were en- 
cumbered, they came to an anchor under the coast, 
to stow away their ammunition, goods, &c. Lewis 
told his men, they were a parcel of rogues, and he 
would make them refund ; accordingly run along 
side, his guns being all loaded and new primed, and 
ordered him to cut away his mast, or he would sink 
him. Le Barre was obliged to obey. Then he or- 
dered them all ashore. They begged the liberty of 
carrying their arms, goods, &c. with them, but he 
allowed them only their small arms and cartridge-- 
boxes. Then he brought the sloop along side, put 
every thing on board the ship, and sunk the sloop. 

Le Barre and the rest begged to be taken on 
board. However, though he denied them, he suf- 
fered Le Barre and some few to come, with whom 
he and his men drank plentifully. The negroes on 
board Lewis told him the French had a plot against 
him. He answered, he could not withstand his des- 
tiny ; for the devil told him in the great cabin, he 
should be murdered that night. 

In the dead of the night, the rest of the French 
came on board in canoes, got into the cabin and 
killed Lewis, They fell on the crew ; but, after an 
hour and a half's dispute, the French were beat off, 
and the quarter-master, John Cornelius, an Irish- 
man, succeeded Lewis. 



160 CAPTAIN CORNELIUS- 



CAPTAIN JOHN CORNELIUS 



Having now the command of the Morning Star, 
Cornelius kept on the coast, and made several 
prizes, both English and Portuguese. The former 
he always discharged, after he had taken what he 
thought fit, buHJie latter he commonly burnt. 

While he was thus ravaging the coast, two Eng- 
lish ships, which had slaved at Whidaw, one of 36 
giias, and the other of 12, which fought close, were 
ready to sail; and having notice of a pirate, who 
had done great mischief, resolved to keep company 
together for their defence. The captain of the 
small ship lay sick in his cabin, and she was left to 
the care of the mates. When they had got under 
sail, 200 negroes jumped overboard from the larger 
ship, which obliged her to bring to and get out her 
boats. The mate of the other went into the cabin, 
told the accident, and advised lying by, and sending 
their boats to assist their consort; but the captain 
being ill, and willing to get off the coast, bid him 
keep on his way, for it would be dangerous, having 
400 slaves on board; and being but weakly manned, 
when the boats were gone they might rise upon 
him. The mate urged the danger of the pirates, 
should they leave their consort. The captain an- 
swered, the seas were wide, and he would not bring 
to ; accordingly they kept on their way with a fresh 
gale. 

Two days after, the mate, about 8 in the morn- 
ing, ordered a man to the mast-head, who spied a 
sail, which made them prepare for an engagement. 
There was on board one Robert Williams, who had 



CAPTAIN CORNELIUS. 161 

served the African company three years on the 
Guinea coast, who spoke the negro tongue very 
well. He told the slaves he had picked out, to the 
number of 50, that the ship in sight he believed 
would fight them, and if they got the better, would 
certainly, as they were cannibals, kill and eat them 
all ; and therefore it behoved them to fight for their 
lives. They had lances and small arms given them. 

About 10, Cornelius came up with them, and be- 
ing hailed, answered he was a man of war, in search 
of pirates, and bid then* send their boat on board ; 
but they refusing to trust him, though he had Eng- 
lish colours and pendant flying, the pirate fired a 
broadside, and they began a running fight of about 
10 hours, in which time the negroes discharged 
their arms so si&artly, that Cornelius never durst 
attempt to board. About 8 at night the ship blew 
up abaft. They immediately cut the lashings of 
the long-boat, but the ship going down, they had 
not time to get her put, and barely enough to launch 
the yawl, which lay on the forecastle. The ship 
went down on one side, and Robert Williams run- 
ning on the other, was hooked by the mizen-truss, 
and was carried down with her ; but having his 
Knife in his hand, and a great presence of mind, he 
cut the waistband of his trowsers, where he was 
caught, got clear, and swam after the boat, into 
which about 16 had gotten, and either knocked 
those on the head, or cut off their hands, who laid 
hold on it ; however, with much entreaty, he was 
permitted to lay one hand on to ease him. They 
made to the pirate, who refused to receive them, 
without they would enter with him; which, to save 
their lives, they all agreed to, and were then civilly 
received, and dry clothes given them. These and 
one negro were all the souls saved. 

In a little time after this he took two Portuguese 
ships, which he plundered and kept with him ; and 

14* 






162 CArTAIN CORNELIUS. 

one foggy morning, hearing the firing of guns, which, 
by the distance of time, he judged to be minute 
guns, as they really were, for the death of an Eng- 
lish commander, he called his men on board from 
the prizes, sent them about their business, and di- 
rected his course by the report of the cannon he had 
heard. In about two hours he spied the ship that 
had fired, came up with her very soon, and took her 
without resistance. The officers of the ship which 
blew up, finding this prize English, and that the pi- 
rate did not intend to detain her, begged to be dis- 
charged, as they had all large families, which must 
perish without their support. Cornelius, taking them 
into consideration, discharged Mr. Powis, of Lime- 
house, who has since been a commander, and raised 
a fortune. The then chief mate, Mr. George Fore- 
long, the boatswain, carpenter, and other married 
men, he set on board the prize, and was very ge- 
nerous to them out of the plunder of the Portuguese 
ships, because they had made a broken voyage ; 
but Robert Williams and the other bachelors he de- 
tained, and forced some out of the prize, which he 
let go. 

After this he took three Portuguese ships at an 
anchor, which he plundered and burnt, after he had 
hove down by one of them. He continued some 
time longer on the coast, did a great deal of mis- 
chief to the trade, and forced a great many men 
these he put to do all the slavery of the ship, and 
they were beat about the decks, without daring to 
resent it. I shall take notice of an instance of this 
kind, to show how far revenge will carry a man. 
One Robert Bland was at the helm, and called Ro- 
bert Williams to take whipstaff, till he went to play. 
Williams refused it ; upon which Bland drubbed him 
with the lanyard of the whipstaff very severely. 
Williams, that he might revenge himself, and have 
liberty to fight Bland, went that instant and entered 



CAPTAIN CORNELIUS. 163 

himself a volunteer in the ship's books, and asked 
leave to fight Bland, which was allowed him, but 
with no other weapons than his fists. He, however, 
challenged his antagonist, who was too hard for 
him ; 50 that he turned pirate to be heartily thrashed. 

Cornelius, thinking they had been long enough on 
the Guinea coast, doubled the Cape, off which he 
spied the Lizard, and two more men of war, under 
the command of Commodore Littleton. Cornelius 
was for giving chase, but finding his men unwilling, 
there being, as they gave for reason, 70 forced 
men on board, and these ships being, as they sus- 
pected, men of war, he made the best of his way 
for Madagascar, went up the river Methelage, on 
the west side, and anchored against Pombotoque. 
a small village of blacks. 

The quarter-master went ashore, and the black 
governor examined him, for several of these blacks 
speak English. He told the governor they were 
come for provision and to trade ; upon which he 
sent a couple of oxen on board, and then ordered 
some of the inhabitants to go up with the quarter- 
master to the king. The boat's crew seeing a num- 
ber of blacks come down upon the strand without 
the quarter-master, apprehended some mischief had 
befallen him ; but were eased of their fears, when 
they saw two oxen given them, and were told the 
white man, w r ho was gone to the king, would be back 
next day, it not being above 20 miles from the shore. 

When the quarter-master, who carried up a blun- 
derbuss, a fine gun, and a pair of pistols, for a pre- 
sent to the king, told him they wanted provisions, he 
asked where they were bound 1 To which he an- 
swered, to seek their fortunes, for at present they 
were very poor. Look ye, replied the king, Ire- 
quire nothing of you ; all white men I look upon as 
my children ; they helped me to conquer this coun- 
try, and all the cattle in it are at their service. I 



164 CAPTAIN CORNELIUS. 

will send down provisions enough, and when thai is 
spent, you shall have more. He accordingly sent 
1000 head of cattle, out of which he bid them choose 
what they would, and they salted 100 fat oxen. 

Besides the present of oxen, the king sent 100 
blacks laden with rice. Cornelius sent him a pre- 
sent of two barrels of powder, and would have given 
him more, with small arms in return, but he sent 
them word he would have no more, nor any of their 
arms, not being in want of either. On the contrary, 
if they wanted, he would send them ten barrels of 
powder, as they were his children ; bade them pro- 
ceed on their voyage, and if they were richer when 
they came back, and would send him any present, 
he would accept it, but not now that they were poor. 

Here Cornelius lost 70 men by their excesses. 
Having been long without fresh provision, the eat- 
ing immoderately, and drinking toke (a liquor made 
of honey) to excess, threw them into violent fevers, 
which carried them off. 

The blacks having given Cornelius an account of 
-the Speaker's having sailed from Methelage about 
three months before for the East- Indies, he, having 
taken in his provisions, steered the same course, in 
hopes to join in consort with her ; but the Speaker 
lying off the Red Sea, and the Morning Star going 
into the Gulf of Persia, they never met. They run 
up a pretty way in the gulf, and lay under Antelope 
Island, where they kept a look out, and whence they 
made their excursions, and took a number of prizes. 

Here they designed to heave down and clean, and 
they had got a good part of their goods and water 
casks ashore, when the look-out discovered two 
lofty ships, one of them wearing a flag at the fore- 
top-mast head. This put them into great confusion : 
they got what casks and necessaries they could on 
board, and lay till the ships came abreast of them. 
Then they got under sail at once, their sails being 



CAPTAIN CORNEOUS. H>£ 

furled with rope yarns, and came close alongside 
the larger ship, which was a Portuguese of 70 guns, 
as the other was of 26, They exchanged a broadside 
with her, and the smaller ship engaged so close, 
that they threw hand grenades into each other; but 
Cornelius 5 business was to run, and the great ship 
put in stays twice to follow him, but missing, was 
obliged to ware, which gave the pirate a great ad- 
vantage. The small ship, in staying, tailed aground : 
she, however, gave chase till she had run a good 
way ahead of her consort, which the pirate seeing* 
brought to, and stayed for her, as did the Portu- 
guese for her consort, not caring to engage him 
singly. When it was quite dark, Cornelius ran up 
the other shore, passed the Portuguese ships (which 
kept down the gulf) and came again to anchor at 
his old station, where he found his enemies had 
been ashore in their boats and staved his casks. He 
here cleaned, and finding no money to be got out of 
any prizes made, and bale goods being of little va- 
lue to them, they from hence went away to the 
island of Johanna, where it was designed to ma- 
roon the blacks, who were the greater number, and 
all bred among the English. . Robert Williams, fear- 
ing they would next maroon the English, who were 
not above a third of the whites, gave the negroes 
notice of the design, who secured all the arms of 
the ship, and gave Williams the command till they 
should get to Madagascar, keeping a good guard 
on the French and Dutch. When they came to 
Methelage they gave the ship to the king, her bot- 
tom being eaten so much with the worms that she 
was no longer fit for service ; and they all went and 
lived with the king. About five months after they 
broke up, Cornelius died, and was buried with the 
usual ceremony. 



166 CAPTAIN WILLIAMS. 



CAPTAIN DAVID WILLIAMS. 



This man was born in Wales, of very poor pa- 
rents, who bred him up to the plough and the fol- 
lowing of sheep, the only things he had any notion 
of till he went to sea. He was never esteemed 
among the pirates as a man of good natural parts, 
perhaps on account of his ignorance of letters ; for 
as he had no education, he knew as little of the sail- 
ing a ship, set aside the business of a foremast man, 
as he did of history, in which, and natural philoso- 
phy, he was equally versed. He was of a morose, 
sour, unsociable temper, very choleric, and easily re- 
sented as an affront, what as brave and a more know- 
ing man would not think worth notice; but he was 
not cruel, neither did he turn pirate from a wicked 
or avaricious inclination, but by necessity ; and we 
may say, though he was no forced man, he could 
not well avoid the life he fell into. 

When he was grown a lusty lad he would see the 
world, and go seek his fortune, as the term is among 
the country youths, who think fit to withdraw them- 
selves from the subjection of their parents. With 
this whim in his head, he got to Chester, where he 
was received, and sailed on board a coaster, till 
he had made himself acquainted with the rigging, 
learned to knot, splice, and do the other parts of a 
common sailor's duty ; then coming to London, he 
shipped himself on board the Mary Indiaman, bound 
for Bengal and Madras, which voyage he performed 
outward, and it was not his fault that he did not 
come home in the same ship ; for, in her return, 
falling short of water, they steered for the island of 



CAPTAIN WILLIAMS. 167 

Madagascar, and fell in with the east side, in lat. 
20 deg. or thereabouts. The captain manned and 
sent ashore the long-boat to seek for water, but a 
large surf running, she came to an anchor, at some 
little distance from shore, and David Williams, with 
another, being good swimmers, stripped and swam 
off in search of water. While they were ashore, the 
wind, which blew full upon the island, and freshen- 
ing, caused the surf to run too high for them to get 
off; and the long-boat, after waiting some time, 
seeing no possibility of getting these men on board, 
weighed and stood for the ship, which filled her sails 
and stood for St. Augustin's Bay, where she watered, 
and proceeded on her voyage. 

Thus our poorWelchman and his companion were 
left destitute on an island altogether unknown to 
them, without clothes or subsistence but what the 
fruits of the trees offered. They rambled some lit- 
tle time along the coast, and were met by the na- 
tives, and by them carried up into the country, where 
they were humanely treated, and provided with all 
the necessaries of life, though this was not suf- 
ficient to expel his consort's melancholy, who took 
his being left behind so much to heart, that he sick- 
ened and died in a very little time. 

Some time after, the prince of the country, who 
entertained Williams, had a quarrel with a neigh- 
bouring king, which broke into a war. Williams 
took the field with his patron, but the enemy being 
superior in number, got the victory, and took a great 
many prisoners, among whom was the unfortunate 
Welchman. The king whose prisoner he was, treated 
him very kindly ; and being master of an old musket, 
gave it him, saying, such arms iverer better in the 
hands of a white man than in those of any of his sub- 
jects, who were not so much used to them ; that he 
should be his friend and companion, and should fare 
as well as himself, if he icould assist him in his wars. 



168 CAPTAIN WILLIAMS. 

It will not be amiss here to take notice, that this 
island, on the east side, is divided into a great num- 
ber of principalities or kingdoms, which are almost in 
continual war one with another ; the grounds of 
which are very trivial, for they will pick a quarrel 
with a neighbour, especially if he has a number of 
cattle, (in which, and slaves, consist their riches) 
on the slightest occasion, that they may have an 
opportunity of plunder ; and when a battle or two 
is lost, the conquered makes his peace, by deliver- 
ing up such a certain number of bullocks and slaves 
as shall be demanded by the victorious prince. On 
the west side the island, the principalities are mostly 
reduced under one prince, who resides near Methe- 
lage, and who is,- as we have said in the lives of 
other pirates, a great friend to white men ; for his 
father, who founded his empire by the assistance of 
the Europeans, left it in charge with his son, to assist 
them with what necessaries they should require, 
and do them all friendly offices ; but if he disobeyed 
this command, and should ever fall out with the 
white men, or spill any of their blood, he threatened 
to come again, turn him out of his kingdom, and 
give it to his younger brother. These menaces 
had a very great effect on him, for he firmly be- 
lieved his father would, on his disobedience, put 
them in execution ; for there is not on earth, a race 
of men equally superstitious. * 

But to return to Williams, he lived with this prince 
in great tranquillity, and was very much esteemed 
by him, (for necessity taught him complaisance.) 
After some time, his new patron was informed that 
his vanquished enemy had formed a grand alliance, 
In order to make w r ar upon him ; wherefore, he re- 
solved to begin, and march into the countries of the 
allies, and ravage the nearest before they could 
join forces. He raised an army, and accordingly 
marched southward. At the news of his approach, 



CAPTAIN WILLIAMS. 169 

the inhabitants abandoned all the small towns, and 
sending messengers to their friends, raised a con- 
siderable body to oppose him, suffering him to over- 
run a great deal of ground without molestation. At 
length being reinforced, they took their opportu- 
nity, and setting upon him when his men were fa- 
tigued, and his army encumbered withjbooty, they 
gained a signal victory. The king had the gooci 
luck to get off, but Williams was a second time taken 
prisoner. 

He was carried before the conqueror, who, 
(having been an eye witness of his bravery, for 
Williams killed a number of his enemies with his 
shot, and behaved very well, defending himself 
with the butt end of his musket for some time, 
when he was surrounded) reached him his hand, 
and told him, he made w^ar with his enemies only, 
that he did not esteem the white men such, but 
should be glad of their friendship. Here Williams 
was used with more respect than lie h&d oeen even 
by his last patron, and lived with this prince some 
years ; but a war breaking out, he was routed in a 
set battle, in which Williams was his companion. 
In the pursuit, the poor Weichman, finding he could 
not get off, clapped his musket at the foot of a tree, 
and climbing up, he capitulated. He was now ter- 
ribly afraid of being cut to pieces, for he had shot 
and wounded a great number of the enemy, The y, 
however, promised him good quarter, and kept their 
word. 

The king of Maratan, who took him, used him as 
well as any of the former had done, and carried him 
always with him to the wars, in which fortune was 
more propitious, for the parties Williams commanded 
had constantly the better of their enemies, and 
never returned without great booties of cattle and 
slaves, for all the prisoners they take are so, until 
-redeemed ; though these prisoners are, for the most 

15 



170 CAPTAIN WILLIAMS. 

part, women and children, they seldom giving quar- 
ter to any other. The fame of his bravery and sue 
cess, spread itself round the country; and his name 
alone was so terrible, that the "giving out he was at 
the head of any party, was giving the enemy an 
overthrow without a battle. 

This reaching the ears of Dempaino, a mighty 
prince who lived 200 miles from him, and who had 
several petty princes tributaries, he sent an ambas- 
sador to demand the white man ; but his patron, 
who had no mind to part with him, denied that he 
had any white man with him; that he who was 
called so was a native of the country. For the read- 
er's better understanding this passage, I must in- 
form him, that there is a race of what they call white 
men, who have been settled on Madagascar, time 
out of mind, and are descended from the Arabs ; 
but mixing with the negroes, have propagated a 
race of mulattoes, who. differ in nothing from the 
manner of living of the black natives. 

To proceed, the ambassador desired to see this 
man, and Williams coming to him, being extremely 
tanned, he had passed for what he was reported, 
had he been before apprized of what had been said, 
to have answered accordingly, for he spoke the lan- 
guage perfectly ; or had the ambassador not ex- 
Imined him ; who, after he had some time viewed 
him, asked him of what country he was, and whe- 
ther it was true that he was one of Madagascar < 
Williams answered, he was an Englishman, and was 
left in the country, relating the particulars, as I have 
already set them down, adding, he had been five 
years in the island. *_ , 

The ambassador then told the king, that he must 
send the white man with him, for such were the or- 
ders of his master, the great Dempaino, who was 
lord over most of the kings on the side of the coun- 
try where he resided ; and that it would be danger- 



CAPTAIN WILLIAMS. 171 

ous for him to disobey the commands of so great a 
monarch. 

The king answered, those who were subject to 
Dempaino ought to obey his commands; but for 
him, he knew no man greater than himself, there- 
fore should receive laws from none ; and with this 
answer dismissed the ambassador ; who, at his re- 
turn, reported to his master the very words, adding, 
they were delivered in a very haughty strain. Dem- 
paino, who was not used to have his commands dis- 
puted, ordered one of his generals to march with 
6000 men, and demand the white man, and in case 
of refusal, to denounce war ; that he should send 
him back an express of it, and he would follow in 
person with an army to enforce a compliance. 

These orders were put in execution with the 
greatest despatch and secrecy ; so that the town was 
invested, before any advice was given of the ap- 
proach of an enemy. The general told the king, it 
was in his choice to have peace or war with his 
master, since it depended on the delivery of the 
white man. The king, thus surprised, was obliged, 
however contrary to his inclinations, to give Wil- 
liams up to the general, who returned with him to 
Dempaino, without committing any hostilities ; 
though he threatened to besiege the town, and put 
all but the women and children to the sword, if the 
king of Maratan did not pay the expense of sending 
for the white man, which he rated at 100 slaves, and 
500 head of cattle. The king objected to this as a 
hard condition, and an unjust imposition, but was 
obliged to acquiesce in it. 

He was received by Dempaino with a great many 
caresses, was handsomely clothed according to the 
country manner, had slaves allotted to wait on him, 
and every thing that was necessary and convenient ; 
so that king Dempaino was at the trouble of send- 
ing 6000 men, one would think, for no other end 



172 CAPTAIN WILLIAMS. 

than to show the great value and esteem he had 
for the Europeans. He continued with this prince 
till the arrival of a ship, which was some years after 
his leaving Maratan, when the Bedford galley, a 
pirate, commanded by Achen Jones, a Welchman, 
came on the coast, on board of which ship Williams 
was permitted to enter. They went to Augustin, 
where, laying the ship on shore, they broke her 
back by carelessness, and lost her. The crew lived 
here till the arrival of the Pelican, another pirate, 
mentioned in North's life ; some of them went on 
board this ship, and steered for the East-Indies. 
Williams shifted out of this on board the Mocha fri- 
gate, a pirate, commanded by Capt. Culliford, and 
made a voyage ; then, returning to St. Mary's they 
shared the booty they had got in the Red Sea.,' 

Some of the crew, being West-Indians, having 
an opportunity, returned home ; but Williams re- 
mained here till the arrival and taking of Captain 
Fcurgette, whrch has been already mentioned. He 
was one of those who took the Speaker, went a 
voyage in her, and returned to Maratan. Here the 
king seeing him, asked him, what present he in- 
tended to make him for former kindness ? Williams 
answered, he had been overpaid by the prince whom 
he took him from, and by his services ; which an- 
swer so irritated his Maratanian Majesty, that he 
ordered him to quit his country ; and he could hardly 
after that see him with patience. 

From hence he went on board the Prosperous, 
Capt. Howard, commander, who went to St. Mary's, 
and thence to the main, as is said in that pirate's 
life, and was one of the men left behind when they 
had a design to carry off Ort Van Tyle. This Dutch- 
man kept him to hard labour, as planting potatoes, 
&c. in revenge for the destruction and havoc made 
in his plantations by the crew of the Prosperous. 
He was here in the condition of a slave six months, 



CAPTAIN WILLIAMS. 173 

at the expiration of which time, he had an opportu- 
nity to run away, leaving his consort, Thomas Col- 
lins, behind him, who had his arm broke when he 
was taken by the Dutchman. 

Having made his escape from a rigid, revengeful 
master, he got to a black prince, named Rebaiha- 
rang, with whom he lived half a year. He from 
hence went and kept company with one John Pro,' 
another Dutchman, who had a small settlement on 
shore, till the arrival of the men of war, commanded 
by Commodore Richards, who took both Pro and 
his guest Williams, put them in irons on board the 
Severn, till they came to Johanna, where the cap- 
tain of the Severn undertook for $2000 to go against 
the Mohilians, in which expedition several of the 
man of war's crew were killed, and the two pirates 
made their escape in a small canoe to Mohila, where 
they sheltered themselves awhile in the woods, out 
of which they got provisions, and made over for 
Johanna. Here they recruited themselves and went 
away for Mayotta. The king of this island built 
them a boat, and giving them provisions and what 
necessaries they required, they made for and ar- 
rived at Madagascar, where, at Methelage, in lat. IQ 
deg. 40 m. or thereabouts, they joined Captain White. 

Here they lay about three months ; then setting 
fire to their boat, they went into White's, and round- 
ing the north end, came to Ambonavoula. Here 
Williams remained till Capt. White bought the ship 
Hopewell, on board of which he entered before the 
mast, and made a voyage to the Red Sea, towards 
the end of which he' was chosen quarter-master. 
At their return they touched at Mascarenhas for 
provisions, where almost half the company went 
ashore and took up their habitations. 

From Mascarenhas they steered for Hopewell (by 
some called Hopeful) Point, on Madagascar, where 9 
dividing their plunder, they settled themselves, 

15* 



174 CAPTAIN WILLIAMS. 

Twelve months after, the Charles brigantine, 
Capt. Halsey, came in, as is mentioned in his life. 
Williams went on board him and made a voyage. 
At their return they came to Maratan, lived ashore, 
and assisted the king in his war against his brother, 
which being ended in the destruction of the latter, 
and a pirate lying at Ambonavoula, sending his long- 
boat to Manangcaro, within ten leagues of Maratan, 
Williams and the rest went on board, and in three 
months after he had been at Ambonavoula, he was 
chosen captain of the Scotch ship, mentioned in Hal- 
sey's life. This ship be worked upon with great 
earnestness, and made the Scotch prisoners labour 
hard at the fitting her up for a voyage ; and she was 
nearly ready for sea, when a hurricane forced her 
ashore, and she was wrecked. 

Some time after this he set up and finished a 
sloop, in which he and ten of his men designed for 
Mascarenhas ; but missing the island, they went 
round Madagascar, to Methelage, where he laid his 
vessel ashore and tarried a year ; but the king being 
tired with his morose temper, and he disagreeing 
with every body, w r as ordered to be gone, and ac- 
cordingly fitting up his vessel, he put to sea, intend- 
ing to go round the north end of the island ; but 
the wind being at E. S. E. and the current setting 
to N. W. he put back to a port called the Boyn, 
within ten leagues of Methelage, in the same king's 
dominions whom he had left. The governor of this 
place was descended from the Arabs, and it was 
here that the Arabians traded. 

When he came to an anchor, he and three of his 
men (he had but five with him) went on shore, pad- 
died by two negroes. David Eaton and William 
Dawson, two of the men, required a guide, to show 
them the way to the king's town ; the governor 
ordered them one, and at the same time laid an 
ambush for them in the road, and caused them to 



CAPTAIN WILLIAMS. 176 

be murdered. When they had left the Boyn, Wil- 
liams and Meyeurs, a Frenchman, who also came 
ashore in the canoe, went to buy some samsams, 
which are agate beads. As they were looking over 
these goods, a number of the governor's men came 
about them, seized them both, and immediately 
despatched Meyeurs. Williams they bound, and 
tortured almost a whole day, by throwing hot ashes 
on his head and in his face, and putting little boys 
to beat him with sticks. He offered the governor 
2000 dollars for his life, but he answered, he would 
have that and the money too ; and accordingly, 
when he was near expiring, they made an end of 
him with their lances. 

After this barbarous murder, the governor thought 
of seizing the sloop, on board of which were no 
more than two white men, six negro boys, and 
some women slaves of the same colour. However, 
he thought it best to proceed by stratagem, and 
therefore putting a goat and some calabashes of 
toke on board Williams 5 canoe, with twelve negroes 
armed, and the sloop negroes to paddle, he sent to 
surprise her. When the canoe came pretty near 
the vessel, they hailed, and asked if they would" let 
them come on board ? One of the men asked Wil- 
liams' negroes where the captain was 1 He answer- 
ed, drinking toke with the governor, and sent them 
provision and toke. A negro wench advised the 
white man, whose name was William Noakes, not 
to let them come on board, for as four white men 
went ashore, and none of them appeared, she sus- 
pected some treachery. However, on the answer 
made him from the canoe, he resolved to admit 
them, and called them on board. No sooner were 
they come on deck, than one of them, snatching 
Noakes' pistol, shot him through the head, and 
seizing the other white man, threw him overboard 



176 CAPTAIN WILLIAMS. 

and drowned him ; after which, being masters of 
the vessel, they carried her in and rifled her. 

The king was at this time hunting, as is his cus- 
tom to hunt boars three months in the year ; but 
an account of these murders soon reached him. 
However, he continued the accustomed time of 
his diversion ; but when he returned home, and the 
whites who were about him demanded justice, he 
bade them be quiet, they might depend upon his 
doing it. He sent to the governor of Boyn, and 
told him, he was glad that he had cut off Williams 
and his crew, an example he was resolved to follow, 
and clear the country of them all ; that he had 
some affairs to communicate to him, and desired he 
would come to court as soon as possible, but take 
care he was not seen by any of the w r hites, for fear 
they should revenge the death of their companions. 

The governor, on these orders, came away im- 
mediately, and stopped at a little town, two miles 
distant from the king's, and sent word he there 
waited his commands. 

The king ordered him to be with him early 
next morning, before the white men were out of 
their beds. He set forward accordingly the next 
day betimes, but was seized on the road by negroes 
placed for that purpose, and brought bound to the 
king, who, after having reproached him with the 
barbarity of the action he had been guilty of, sent 
him to the white men, bidding them put him to 
what death they pleased ; but they sent word back, 
he might dispose of the lives of his subjects as he 
thought fit, but for their part, they would never draw 
a drop of blood of any who belonged to him. Upon 
which answer the king's uncle ordered him to be 
speared, and he was accordingly thrust through the 
body with lances. The king, after this execution, 
sent to Boyn, and had every thing brought which 



CAPTAIN BURGESS. 177 

had belonged to Williams and his men, and divided 
it among the whites, saying, he was sorry the villain 
had but one life, to make atonement for the barbari- 
ty he had been guilty of. 



CAPTAIN SAMUEL BURGESS 



Captain Samuel Burgess was born in New- 
York, and had a good education. He sailed some 
time in a privateer in the West-Indies, and very 
often, the gang he was with, when the time of their 
cruising was expired, would make no ceremony of 
prolonging the commission by their own authority. 

By his privateering he got together some little 
money, and returned home, where the government 
having no notice, or at least taking none, of his 
piratical practice, in staying beyond the date of his 
commission, he went out mate of a ship, in the ser- 
vice of Frederick Phillips, bound to the island of 
Madagascar, to trade with the pirates, where they 
had the misfortune to lose their ship, and lived 18 
months at Augustin, when an English pirate coming 
in, the king of the country obliged him to go on 
board her, though much against his inclination, for 
he was tired of a roving life : but their choice was 
to go or starve, for the king would keep them no 
longer. 

He went with this free-booter to the East- Indies, 
where they made several rich prizes, and returned 



178 CAPTAIN Bt/RGESS. 

to St. Mary's, where they took in provisions, wood, 
and water. Several of their gang knocked off here ; 
but the captain, Burgess, and the remainder, went 
away for the West-Indies, disposed of their plunder 
on the Spanish coast, and then returning to New- 
York, purposely knocked the ship on the head at 
Sandy Hook, after they had secured their money 
a«hore. 

The government not being informed of thek % 
piracy, they lived here without molestation, and, in 
a short time, Burgess married a relation of Mr. 
Phillips, who built a ship, called the Pembroke, and 
sent him a second time to Madagascar. In his way 
to this island, he went into the river of Dilagou on 
the African coast, where he took in a quantity of 
elephant's teeth ; and thence to Augustin, where 
he met with several of his old ship-mates, with 
whom he traded for money and slaves. Leaving 
this place, he went to Meihelage, where he also 
took some money and negroes ; and from thence 
he shaped his course for St. Mary's, on the east 
side, where he also drove a considerable trade with 
his old comrades, took several of them passengers, 
who paid very generously for their passage ; and 
taking with him an account of what was proper to 
bring in another trip, he returned to New-York, 
without any sinister accident. This voyage cleared 
£5000, ship and charges paid. 

His owner, encouraged by this success, bade him 
choose what cargo he pleased, and set out again. 
Accordingly he laded with wine, beer, &c. and 
returning to Madagascar, arrived at Maratan, on the 
east side, where he disposed of a great part of his 
cargo at his own rates. At Methelage he disposed 
of the rest, and returned, clearing for himself and 
owner, £10,000, besides 300 slaves he brought to 
New-York. 

After a short stay at home, he set out again on 



CAPTAIN BURGESS. 179 

the old voyage, fell in first with Methelage, where 
he victualled and traded, and from thence went 
round the south end, and sold part of his cargo at a 
large profit, to his old acquaintance. He made a 
trading voyage round the island, and at St. Mary's 
met another ship belonging to his owner, which had 
orders to follow his directions. He remained at this 
port till he had disposed of the cargoes of both ships. 
He then shaped his course homewards, with about 
twenty pirate passengers, who had accepted the 
pardon brought by Commodore Littleton. 

In his way he touched at the Cape of Good Hope, 
for wood, water, and fresh provision. While he was 
here, the Loyal Cook, an East-Indiaman, came in, 
who made prize of Burgess, and carried him to the 
East-Indies. He there would have delivered Bur- 
gess' ship to the governor of Madras, but the go- 
vernor would have no hand in the affair, and told the 
captain, he must answer to the East India company 
and Burgess' owner for what he had done. 

Most of the pirate passengers thought themselves 
cleared by the act of grace ; but some, not willing 
to trust to it, got off with what gold they could, in a 
Dutch boat. They who trusted to the pardon, were 
clapped in gaol, and died in their irons. I cannot 
omit the simplicity of one of them, who had, how- 
ever, the wit to get off. When he designed to go 
away, he looked for his comrade for the key of his 
chest, to take his gold with him, which amounted to 
seventeen hundred pounds ; but this comrade being 
ashore, he would not break open the chest, for it 
was a pity, he said, to spoil a good new lock ; so 
left his money for the captain of the East-Indiaman. 

The news of this capture came to the owner be- 
fore the ship returned, and he sued the Company ; 
but at their request, waited for the arrival of the 
Loyal Cook, which brought Burgess prisoner to 
England soon after. The Captain finding himself 



180 CAPTAIN BURGESS. 

In an error, and that what he had done could not be 
justified, absconded ; and the Company made good 
the ship and cargo to the owner. Burgess was set 
at liberty, continued some time in London, was im- 
peached, and piracy sworn against him by Culliford, 
who, notwithstanding he came home on the act of 
grace, was committed to Newgate, tried, and ac- 
quitted, though he was beggared. 

Burgess 5 owner laboured very hard, and expend- 
ed great sums of money to save him. However, 
though he pleaded the necessity of his going on 
board the pirate, he was tried and condemned ; but 
by. the intercession of the bishops of London and 
Canterbury, was pardoned by the queen. 

After this, he made a broken voyage to the South 
Sea, lieutenant of a privateer, and returning to Lon- 
don, was out of business a whole year. He then 
shipped himself as mate on board the Hannah, after- 
wards called the Neptune, and went to Scotland to 
take in her cargo, the owner being of that country ; 
but before she got thither, he broke, the ship was 
stopped, and lay eighteen months before she was 
disposed of. At length, being set to sale, six Scotch 
gentlemen bought her, the old officers were con- 
tinued, and she proceeded on her first designed voy- 
age to Madagascar, in which the captain and Bur- 
gess quarrelling, caused the loss of the ship ; for 
the latter, who was acquainted with the pirates, 
when they arrived at Madagascar, instigated them 
to surprise her. The manner how, being already 
set down in Halsey's life, I need not repeat. 

I shall only take notice, that Capt. Miller being 
decoyed ashore, under pretence of being shown 
some trees, fit for masting, Halsey invited him to 
a surloin of beef, and a bowl of arrack punch ; he 
accepted the invitation, with about twenty pirates. 
One Emmy, who had been a waterman on the 
Thames, did not come to table, but sat by, muffled 



CAPTAIN BURGESS. Igl 

up in a great coat, pretending he was attacked by 
the ague, though he had put it on to conceal his 
pistols only. After dinner, when Halsey went out, 
as for something to entertain his guests, (Miller and 
his supercargo,) Emmy clapped a pistol to the cap- 
tain's breast, and told him he was his prisoner. At 
the same instant, two other pirates entered the 
room, with each a blunderbuss in his hand, and 
told the captain and his supercargo, that no harm 
should come to either, if they did not bring it upon 
themselves by an useless resistance. While this 
passed within doors, the wood being lined with 
pirates, all Miller's men, whom he had brought 
ashore to fall timber, were secured, but none hurt, 
and all civilly treated. When they had afterwards 
got possession of the ship, in the manner mention- 
ed before, they set all their prisoners at liberty. 

Miller with eleven of his men, was sent off, as is 
said in Halsey's life. The company chose Burgess 
quarter-master, and shared the booty they had 
made out of the Scotch ship, and the Greyhound. 

Soon after happened Halsey's death, who left 
Burgess executor in trust for his widow and children, 
with a considerable legacy for himself; and the 
other pirates grumbling at a new comer's being pre- 
ferred to all of them, took from Burgess £3000 of 
Halsey's money, and £1200 of his own, which was 
his share of the two prizes. Though he had been 
treated in this manner, they were idle enough to 
give him the command of the Scotch ship, and or- 
dered him to fit her -out with all expedition, and to 
take on board some men and goods left in the bri- 
gantine. He set to work on the ship, with full de- 
sign to run away with her ; but some pirates, who 
were in another part of the island, being informed 
of these proceedings, thought it not prudent to trust 
him, so he left the ship, and getting among his old 

16 



182 CAPTAIN BURGESS. 

comrades, by their interposition had all his money 
returned. 

After this he lived five months on the island of 
St. Mary's, where his house was, by accident, burnt 
down, out of which he saved nothing but his money. 
He then went on board David Williams, when he 
missed the Jsland of Mascarenhas, and returned to 
Methelage, where he tarried with the king, and was 
one of the men among whom he divided Williams' 
effects. 

From Methelage he went with a parcel of sam- 
sams to Augustin, with which he bought fifty slaves, 
whom he sold to the Arabians. In his return to 
Methelage, he met Capt. North, in a sloop, with 30 
of Miller's men on board. These men proposed 
taking Burgess^ who had, as they said, betrayed, ru- 
ined, and banished them their country, by forcing 
them to turn pirates; but North would not consent: 
upon which they confined him, took Burgess and 
stripped him of all the money, and then releasing 
their captain, gave him <£300 as his share, which he 
returned to Burgess on his arrival at Methelage. 

Burgess lived here two or three years, till he was 
carried off by some Dutchmen. They belonged to 
an East-Indiaman, and were taken by two French 
ships, which being bound for Mocha, and short of 
provisions, came into Methelage to victual, where 
they set 80 of their prisoners ashore. When they 
parted from this port, they sailed for Johanna, where 
they left the Dutch officers, who built a ship, and 
came back for their men. Burgess being of great 
use to them, they took him on board, and steered 
for a port, where some Dutch, taken in another 
ship, were marooned; but they were wrecked at 
Youngoul, where Burgess continued 18 months. 
After this time was expired, he was desirous of leav- 
ing the place, and addressed himself to the king, 



CAPTAIN BURGESS. 



183 



who was uncle to the king of Methelage, he re- 
quested his black majesty to send him back to that 
port, which he readily complied with, where Burgess 
continued almost five years, afflicted with sickness, 
in which he lost one eye. While he was here, the 
Drake pink, of London, came in for slaves. He took 
Burgess, with design to carry him home ; but Capt. 
Harvey, in the Henry, which belonged to the same 
owners, arriving, and being a stranger to the trade, 
at the request of Capt. Maggot, commander of the 
Drake, and on promise of a ship when in the West- 
Indies, he entered as third mate, and continued with 
him. Captain Harvey carrying it pretty high, and 
disagreeing with the king, lay here nine months be- 
fore he could slave. Burgess was sent up to tell 
the king he had not fulfilled his agreement with 
Capt. Harvey. The king resented being reproached 
by a man whom he had entertained so many years, 
and reviled him. He was, however, carried to din- 
ner with some of the principal blacks, and drank 
verv plentifully with them of toke, in which it is sup- 
posed he was poisoned, for he fell ill and died soon 
after, leaving what he had to the care of the chief 
mate, for the use of his wife and children 



184 CAPTAIN NORTH. 



CAPTAIN NATHANIEL NORTH. 



Captain North was born at Bermuda, and was 
the son of a sawyer, which business he himself was 
bred up to, but took at last to the seas, at the age 
of 17 or 18, shipping himself cook on board a sloop, 
built at Bermuda, for some gentlemen of Barbadoes, 
with design to fit her out for a privateer. She was 
bound to her owners, but the master took Santa 
Udas in the way, and loaded with salt. When they 
came to Barbadoes, all the crew was pressed, and 
North with his companions were put on board the 
Reserve. 

The master applied himself to the governor, and 
got all his men cleared, North excepted, who, as he 
was a lad, was neglected, and left on board the man 
of war, which -soon after sailed for Jamaica. Some 
time before the Reserve was relieved from this sta- 
tion, he laid hold of an opportunity to run away, 
and shipped himself on board a sugar drover, in 
which way of life he continued about two years, and 
being an able sailor, though no artist, he was offered 
to go master of one of these coasters, which he re- 
fused, and went on board a privateer. 

The first cruise he made, they took a couple of 
good prizes, which made every man's share very 
considerable ; but North, as he got his money lightly, 
so he spent it, making the companions of his dan- 
gers the companions of his diversions, or rather 
joining himself with them, and following their ex- 
ample ; which all (who are acquainted with the way 
of life of a successful Jamaica privateer) know is 
not an example of the greatest sobriety and econo- 



CAPTAIN NORTH. 185 

my. His money being all spent, he took the same 
method for a recruit, that is, he went a second time 
-privateering, and met with such success, that he en- 
gaged very heartily in this course of life, and made 
several luckv cruises. Some time after, he grew 
tired, thought of trading, and shipped himself on 
board a brigantine, bound for the Spanish coast, 
commanded by one Capt. Reesbyr This vessel 
went both on the trading and privateering account, 
so that the men shipped for half wages, and equal 
shares of what prizes they should make, in the same 
manner as to the shares, as on board a privateer. 
Their trading answered very poorly, and their priva- 
teering business still worse, for they returned with- 
out making any prize. They were forced to leave 
the Spanish coast on account of a Spanish guarda- 
la-costa, of 40 guns and 350 Frenchmen, com- 
manded by a captain of the same nation. When 
they made the island of Jamaica, they fell in with 
Bluefields, off which place two French privateer 
sloops were cruising, one of which was formerly a 
privateer of Jamaica, called the Paradox. They 
immediately clapped Captain Reesby on board, 
taking him for a trader from the Spanish coast, and 
weaklv manned. However, they were soon sensi- 
ble of the mistake, for Reesby took one of them, 
and the other was obliged to a good pair of heels for 
his safety. Reesby lost 10 men killed outright m 
the engagement, and had 7 wounded. The latter, 
thouerh he had made but a broken voyage, he put 
ashore at Bluefields, and ordered great care to.be 
taken of them, at the owners' expense. Here he 
took in fresh provision, and then beat up to Port 
Royal, where Reesby paid his men very honourably, 
gave them a handsome entertainment, and begged 
thev would not leave him, as he had a very great 
value for them all; but for North particularly, who 

16* 



136 CAPTAIN NORTH. 

was a good swimmer, managed a canoe with great 
dexterity, and feared nothing." 

Upon this desire of the captain's, North and the 
greater part tarried ashore till Capt. Reesby Was 
refitted, and went a second voyage with him to the 
coast, at seventeen dollars a month, and no share. 
They carried 300. negroes, besides bale goods, and 
disposed of all the slaves and goods to great advan- 
tage. Upon their return to Jamaica, after some 
stay on the island, Capt. Reesby not going out again, 
North went once more a privateering, and made 
considerable booty. While North was ashore after 
a cruise, he was pressed on board the Mary man of 
war, made a cruise in her to the Spanish coast, and 
returned to Jamaica; but hearing the Mary was 
soon to go to England, he, and three more, resolved 
to swim ashore from the keys, where the men of 
war lie, but he w^as taken as he was going off the 
head, and whipped. He, however, found means to 
make his escape, before the ship left the island, and 
went on board the Neptune sloop, a privateer, com- 
manded by Capt. Lycence, then lieutenant of the 
Reserve, who, while the ship was in the carpenter's 
hands, got a commission of the governor to take a 
cruise. Capt. Moses, who commanded the Reserve, 
went on board their sloop, under the command of 
his lieutenant, for diversion only. They cruised off 
Hispaniola, where they met with a French letter-of- 
marque, of 18 guns, and 118 men, who had the day 
before engaged the Swan man of war, and shook 
her off. The Neptune attacked her, and Capt. 
Moses was one of the first wounded, and carried 
down. Lycence ordered to board, but the quarter- 
master, who steered, mistook the helm, the sloop 
fell off, and the French pouring in a volley of small 
shot, Capt. Lycence was killed, which being told to 
Moses, as the surgeon dressed him, he ordered 



CAPTAIN NORTH. 187 

North to the helm, bid them not to be discouraged, 
and he would be upon deck immediately. Accord- 
ingly, he came up as soon as dressed, laid the ship 
on board, where they made a very obstinate resist- 
ance; but the French captain being killed, who re- 
ceived eleven shot before he dropped, they, at 
length, became masters. 

The privateer lost 10 men, and 20 were wounded. 
The French had 50 killed and wounded, among 
whom was the captain, who had received two shot, 
as he was going down to the surgeon to get hia 
blood stanched, and came upon deck just as he 
was boarded, where, encouraging his men, he was 
distinguished and aimed at. When they had brought 
the prize into Jamaica, as she was an English bot- 
tom, built at Bristol, and called the Crown, the for- 
mer owners sued to have half the ship and cargo, 
and recovered one third. 

Capt. Moses 5 ship not being fitted, he would take 
a second cruise in a privateer, and North went with 
him. Some time after their return, Capt. Moses be- 
ing cruising in the Reserve, North, who was ashore, 
was pressed on board the Assistance man of war; 
and on the Reserve's coming in, being recommend- 
ed by Capt. Moses to his own captain, he was hand- 
somely treated, and made one of the barge's crew. 
He was very easy till the Assistance was ordered to 
England, and then, as he w r as apprehensive of go- 
ing into a cold climate, he took his leave and said 
nothing. He then went on board a privateer again, 
and made several prizes, two of which were Eng- 
lish bottoms, and sued for by former owners. North 
thinking it hard to venture his life, and have part of 
his prize money taken away, and the press being 
hot in Jamaica, he resolved to sail no more with the 
English ; but went to Curacoa into the Dutch ser- 
vice; and sailed with a Spanish trader to the coast 
of New Spain several voyages. In the last he made, 



188 CAPTAIN NORTH. 

they were chased ashore by a couple of French 
sloops, one of which was commanded by a Dutch- 
man, named Lawrence, who, with his comrade, took 
possession of their vessel and rifled her. The crew 
of the prize called to them,-and asked if they would 
give them good quarters ? which they promised; took 
them, all on board, and used them very handsomely. 

The French gave the prisoners a small sloop they 
took a while after, and they returned to Curacoa. 

He having now forgot his resentment, returned to 
Jamaica, and went on board and cruised in a Spanish 
barcalonga, of 10 guns, commanded by Capt. Cover- 
ing, born at Jamaica. They cruised three months 
in the West-Indies, and making but a small hand of 
it, they steered for Newfoundland, to try their fortune 
on the banks. Here they met a .man of war, who 
renewed their commission for six months longer. 
The first prize they made was a French ketch, with 
a Spanish pass, and would have passed for a Spaniard, 
but by strict search, and threatening the men, they 
discovered her to be what she really was, though 
she had, as a Spaniard, slipped through the fingers 
of a man of war before. 

They carried their prize into harbour, went again 
upon a' cruise, met with a French letter-of-marque, 
a Bristol built ship, called the Pelican, of 18 guns, 
and 75 men, Jialf laden with fish. This ship stood 
them a long argument ; they clapped her on board, 
and two of their men entered, but missing lashing, 
the barcalonga fell astern, and the two men were 
made prisoners. However, they came up with her 
again, clapped her on board a second time, and car- 
ried her into the same port where they had left the 
ketch. 

They after this put to sea again, and being dis- 
covered by the French settlement ashore, they went 
into St. Mary's Bay, where they fell in with a large 
French fly-boat, of 800 tons, 80 men, and 18 guns, 






CAPTAIN NORTH. 189 



laden with fish. They chased and came up with 
her, under French colours. When they were pretty 
near, the Frenchman hailed, and asked whence they 
came % A Guernsey-man, at the bowsprit end, an- 
swered, from Petit Guave, that they had been cruis- 
ing on the Banks, and were going into the bay for 
refreshment. The Frenchman bade them come no 
nearer, but send their boat on board. They keep- 
ing on the chase, he fired at them. They did not 
mind this, T)ut run up along side and boarded him. 
The French ran to their close quarters, and disputed 
the ship three quarters of an hour, when they all 
ealled for quarters except one man, who would take 
none, but ran like a madman into the midst of the 
English, and wounded several, though he was soon 
despatched by their pistols. They carried this prize 
to join the others, and turning all the prisoners 
ashoYe, except what were necessary to condemn 
their prizes, they stood, with a fleet of four sail, for 
Rhode-Island. 

Here they condemned the fly-boat and ketch, but 
found great difficulty in getting the Pelican con- 
demned, the English owners putting in their claim; 
but, at length, a Scotch lawyer did their business, 
upon leaving <£300 in his hands to bear the charge 
of any future suit. Capt. Lovering dying here, the 
ship's company bought the Pelican, broke up the 
barcalonga, sent her owners their shares, and got a 
commission for the master to crujse southward as far 
as the line, and to be valid for 18 months certain, 
two years allowing for accidents. 

They fitted this ship for a long voyage, out of the 
joint stock of the company; but iron hoops being 
scarce in New-England, they were obliged to take 
casks hooped with wood, which I mention, because 
it proved the ruin of their voyage to the East-Indies 
for a whole year. 

Being fitted for sea, they set sail and steered for 






19H0 CAPTAIN NORTH. 



the Cape of Good Hope, which they doubled in the 
month of June, made the best of their way to, Ma- 
dagascar, and went into Augustin Bay, where they 
victualled and watered ; but before this was done it 
was August, which was too late to go to the East- 
Indies; which they proposed to do with design to 
cruise on the Moors, not intending to pirate among 
the Europeans, but honestly and quietly to rob what 
Moors fell in their way, and return home with clean 
consciences, and clean, but full hands, within the 
limited time of their commission. 

From Augustin they went to Johanna, and the 
provision they had salted at Madagascar not being 
well done, it began to spoil. This, and their clothes 
wanting repair, made them desperately resolve to • 
take the king of Johanna and make him ransom him- 
self ; but the master would not take charge, of the 
ship, being unacquainted with the coast. They 
cruised among the islands, landed at Comaro, and 
took the town, but found no booty, excepting some 
silver chains, and checked linen. From hence they 
went to Mayotta, where they tsok in a Frenchman 
who had been marooned there, and maintained by 
the king. They consulted with him about surpris- 
ing and^taking the town ; but he was averse to it, 
as he owed him the obligation of being preserved. 
However, he was in their hands, and must do as 
they would have him. They surrounded the king's 
house after they had been three days in his town, 
and took him and all the inhabitants ; but the king's 
son made his way through the thickest of them with 
his cutlass, though he was shot afterwards. The 
pretence they made use of for this unjustifiable vio- 
lence, was, that the king had poisoned the crew of 
a ship, which was their consort. He denied it, as 
well he might, for they themselves never heard of a 
ship of the name they gave this fictitious one. The 
king they carried on board, the other prisoners they 



CAPTAIN NORTH. 191 

put into a sort of temple, with a guard over them of 
36 men. 

The alarm being given in the country, the natives 
came down in a body, of some thousands, and at- 
tacked the guard ; but the ship hearing the fire, and 
seeing the hills covered with blacks, discharged se- 
veral great guns, loaded with partridge, which made 
a very great slaughter, and obliged them to retire. 

The king ransomed himself for some silver chains 
to the value of a thousand dollars, and for what pro- 
vision they demanded ; and at setting him ashore, 
swore allegiance to them as masters of the country, 
and took an oath besides, never to poison any more 
white men. 

After this notable expedition, they stayed here a 
fortnight, though always on their guard, arid then 
went back for Augustin with about twenty slaves, 
which they carried away with them for servants. 
'Here a sickness coming among them, they built 
hut*s ashore. They lost, notwithstanding all their 
care and precaution, their captain and thirty men, 
by the distemper which they contracted ; but it 
abating, they thought of going to sea again, but on 
examining their water casks, they found the hoops 
all worm eaten and rotten, so that there was no 
proceeding ; but this defect was repaired by their 
cooper, who was an ingenious fellow. He went into 
the woods with the Mayotta slaves, and with withes 
and other stuff he gathered, fitted them up, and 
made them tight; in acknowledgment of which ser- 
vice they chose him captain, and North was made 
quarter-master. . 

At Augustin they pickea up some stragglers, 
among whom was David Williams, and on a muster, 
they found they had 105 men. They then made 
their vessel a free ship ; that is, they agreed every 
man should have an equal share in all prizes ; and 
proceeded for the mouth of the Red Sea. 



192 CAPTAIN NORTH. , 

In the night, after they had reached their station, 
they made two ships ; one was the Mocha frigate, 
of 40 guns, commanded by Culliford : she had been 
an East-Indiaman, under the command of one Capt. 
Stout ; the other ship was called the SSoldada, of 16 
guns, the captain's name Shivers ; they hailed one 
another, and on both sides gave the same answers, 
from the seas, and upon agreement, they all lay by 
that night. In the morning they consorted, and 
agreed to make an equal division of all prizes, which 
any of the three should take from that time for two 
months to come. 

The Pelican spared wood, water, and some 
of her hands to Capt. Culliford, and here Williams 
shifted on board him. About ten days after these 
three had joined company, a large Moor's ship, 
on which they afterwards mounted 70 guns, hove in 
sight. 

They all gave chase, but the small ship came, 
first up with the Moor, who exchanged several shot 
with the Soldada and Pelican ; but the Soldada clap- 
ped her on board, and before the Pelican could enter 
a man, the Moors called for quarters. In boarding 
the Moor, she fired a broadside upon the Soldada, 
but only two shot hulled her, and killed two men, 
which was the only loss they had in taking a thou- 
sarid prisoners, passengers and sailors. 

All the money was carried on board the Mocha 
frigate, and divided between her crew and the Sol- 
dada, excluding without other reason than sic volu- 
Tnus, the Pelican from any share. The crew of 
the Pelican expostulated with them, and bid them 
remember they had spared both wood and water, or 
the Mocha could not have kept the station. Instead of 
any answer, they received a command to be gone, or 
they would sink them. They answered, they could 
not go by themselves, wanting the water and wood 
they had spared. The two consorts gave them a 



CAPTAIN NORTH. 193 

thousand dollars, and some water out of the Moor, 
telling them to buy wood, where they could pur- 
chase it, and so left the Pelican to herself, going 
away for the coast of Malabar, where they put the 
prisoners and horses they had taken, ashore, sunk 
the Soldada, and thence went to the I«* e of St. 
Mary's on Madagascar. They shared out of this 
prize a thousand pounds a man in silver and gold, 
besides other goods ; and the two pirates amounted 
to the number of 350 men. 

The Pelican kept the same station for some days, 
when a large Moor ship hove in sight. They gave 
chase, and the Moor not suspecting her for an 
enemy, did not endeavour to get away. When the 
Pelican came up, she fired for the Moor to bring to, 
which made him set his small sails, though with the 
loss of several men ; for the Pelican being close up, 
brought them down with small arms. When the 
Moor had, at length, hove out his small sails, the 
Pelican could not gain upon him enough to board, 
though she was not a pistol shot astern." Whenever 
she came upon his lee quarter, the Moor being a 
tall ship, took away the wind from the Pelican, and 
she could never get to windward of him. She plyed 
her fore chase all this while, and drove the Moor's 
from their stern chase, but could not, as they endea- 
voured to do, strike the Moor's rudder, or any other 
way disable him. At length, by the fear and bad 
steerage of the Moor, the Pelican ran up alongside 
of them, but as she missed lashings she was obliged 
to shoot ahead. In the mean while the Moor wore 
round, the Pelican put in stays after him, but not 
staying, and being all in confusion, wore also ; but 
in this time the Moor had got the start, and setting 
all the canvass he could pack 6n his ship's back, 
wronged the Pelican and got off. 

The loss of this ship made the crew almost dis- 
tracted, and caused for some time, a great division 

17 



104 CAPTAIN NORTH. 

among them ; some cursing the" ship for a heavy 
sailer, and proposing to return home ; others curs- 
ing themselves, and the ill management by which 
they missed lashing, and proposed going to Mada- 
gascar, and breaking her up, since as she was a 
single bottom, she must be worm eaten ; but time, 
which molifies the greatest rage, abated these con- 
tentions, and put an end to the animosities which 
sprung from their disappointment. 

They now resolved for the Malabar coast, on 
which they took three Moor ships in a little time. 
The first they discharged, after taking out 6000 dol- 
lars ; the second they took for their own use, 
mounted her with 26 guns, and called her the Dol- 
phin : the third they sold on the same coast for 
18,000 dollars. Their own ship they set adrift. 
From this coast they made for Madagascar, and 
near the island of Mascarenhas lost all their masts 
in a hurricane. They put up jury masts, came to 
St. Mary's and new masted. Here they found 
Captain Culliford, Capt. Shivers, and their prize, 
with three merchantmen from America, which had 
come to trade with them, one of which was the 
Pembroke, commanded by Samuel Burgess, and 
belonging to Frederick Phillips, merchant, at New- 
York. The captain of the Dolphin, and some of 
the men being weary of this life, went home in these 
merchant ships, and the crew chose one Samuel 
Inless, who lived on the island, for their captain. 
They fitted out for the Straits of Malacca, where 
they made several prizes of Moor ships, but of little 
value to them. North, on board one of the prizes, 
was separated from the rest by bad weather, and 
drove to great distress for water. The Moor mer- 
chant, who was on board with him, and whom he 
had treated very humanely, showed him a draught, 
by which he came to a small island not far from the 
iDutch settlement, and watered. The Moor told 



CAP1AIN NORTH. 195 

him, that he ran the risk of his life should it be 
known that he had given him a sight of this draught. 
In return for this service, when he met with his com- 
panions, he got the Moor's ship discharged. After 
this they steered for Nicobar, near Achen, and, in 
the way, met a large Danish ship, which they plun- 
dered, and hove down by, cleaned, and returned to 
Madagascar, where they shared their booty, which 
was, besides goods, between 3 and <£400 a man. A 
month after their arrival, Commodore Littleton's 
squadron appeared in sight, which occasioned their 
hauling up the Dolphin ; and, as they could not get 
her so high as they designed, they set fire to her. 

Commodore Littleton brought a pardon for such 
of the pirates as would accept it, and many of them 
did, among whom were Culliford and Shivers, who 
went home with merchantmen. North accepted 
it also, but would not trust to it, finding the time 
fixed for their surrender had elapsed before the 
men of war arrived. 

Most of the pirates having left the island of St. 
Mary's, where the king's ship lay, North thought it 
not safe for him to stay, and therefore putting all 
he had into the Dolphin's boat, he designed to join 
his comrades on the main of Madagascar ; but being- 
overset by a squall, all the people were lost except 
himself, who swam ashore, and a negro woman, 
whom he put on the bottom of the boat. 

Being now on the main, and quite naked, he 
frightened the negroes he met with, as he got out 
of the water, for they took him for a sea-devil ; but 
one woman, who had been used to sell fowls at the 
wiiite men's houses, had the courage not to run 
away, and, when he came near, knew him. She 
gave him some of her own clothing, and calling a 
negro man who carried her things, and had run into 
the woods, they helped hirr tc perform his journey to 
the dwelling of some white flue u, which was sixteen 



196 CAPTAiN NORTH. 

miles from the place where he came on shore. Being 
quite exhausted, he was kindly received and clothed 
by his comrades, whom he remained with till he had 
recovered his strength, and then went to a black 
prince of his acquaintance, with whom he tarried till 
the arrival of Capt. Fourgette, which was full a year. 

In this vessel, which I have already said in White's 
life was taken, he went round the north end to the 
west side, and came into Methelage, where they sur- 
prised the Speaker ; the manner of which is also 
mentioned in the same life ; and, after the death of 
Capt. Booth, was chosen captain's quarter-master, 
by Bowen, who succeeded in the voyage, and the 
consequences of it are already set down, for he was 
in the Speaker till she was lost. 

The next voyage he made was in the Speedy 
Return (taken from Capt. Drummond) in the capa- 
city of company's quarter-master, with design to 
cuiise in the Red Sea ; but touching at the island of 
Mayotta, they consorted with Capt. Howard, whom 
they met with at the island, as is already said. From 
thence they went and victualled at Augustin, hav 
ing promised Capt. Bowen to meet him in two 
months ; accordingly returning thither, and missing 
him, they went to Mayotta to inquire after him ; 
but hearing that he was gone a voyage, and as the 
place of rendezvous was off the highlands of St, 
John's, they steered their course thither, to join him, 
and lie for the Moor fleet from Mocha. 

In their passage they met with a violent storm, 
in which they were near foundering. It beat in 
their stern, and obliged them to throw over all their 
guns (two excepted, which lay in the hold) and 
forced them into the gulf of Persia, where they 
took several small vessels, which they ripped up to 
repair their ship. Being very much in want of water, 
having staved all their casks, to save themselves in 
the storm, and meeting with little in the vessels 



CArTAIN NORTH. 197 

taken, they hoisted out the canoe to chase a fishing 
vessel, that they might be informed where they 
should find water. This boat made from them with 
all their force, but the ship firing, the people all 
leaped into the water, some of whom were drowned, 
and the rest got ashore, except one man, whom 
they came up with ; but as soon as they thought to 
lay hold on him, he dived, and kept them in play 
near an hour and a half. They would not shoot 
him, because it did not answer their ends ; but at 
length North, who was in the boat, took the sprit, 
and struck him as he rose, and broke his jaw. 
They took him by these means, brought him on 
board, sent him to the surgeon, and when they des- 
paired of his being able to speak, he asked for a 
pipe of tobacco, which he smoked, and drank a 
dram ; after which he seemed very hearty. As the 
pirates had on board several black slaves, who spoke 
the East-India tongue, one of them was ordered to 
inquire of Mm where they might find water, pro- 
mising him his liberty if he would direct them. On 
this promise he carried them to a convenient land- 
ing place, where he showed a well, full of dirt, out 
of which, after a great deal of trouble to come at it, 
they drew but three buckets of water, which suf- 
ficed those only who went on shore, to the number of 
thirty. Enraged with this disappointment after so 
much labour, they threatened their prisoner with 
death, who told them, if they would have patience 
till the sun was set, they would have plenty, for the 
spring would rise, and flow all night ; which they 
found to be fact, and filled twenty tons of water, 
and returned on board, carrying the man with them, 
for whom they made a gathering of some goods, 
and about 30 dollars. These they gave him, and 
exacted a promise, that whenever* he saw any ship 
on that coast, which made the same signals they had 
made, he would go on board and render them what 

17* 



198 CAPTAIN NORTH. 

service he could, assuring him he would always 
meet with civil treatment, and be well rewarded. 

After this they cruised in the gulf of Persia some 
days, in hopes of meeting their consort, not doubt- 
ing but she had some share in the storm ; but the 
time of their partnership having at length expired, 
and she not appearing, they steered for the high- 
lands of St. John, near Surat, the place of rendez- 
vous. When they made the land they spied a ship, 
and immediately making all clear for an engage- 
ment, they gave chase. The other ship doing the 
like, they soon met, and to the great joy of both par- 
ties, she proved their consort. Upon inquiry they 
found the Prosperous had been ten days on this 
station, and had not met with the storm which had so 
roughly handled the Speedy Return. On giving an 
account of their misfortune, viz. their being obliged 
to throw over their guns, and a quantity of provi- 
sions, Capt. Howard spared them some fresh, provi- 
sions, and expressing great concern for the acci- 
dent, renewed his consortship for two months 
longer ; that is, they agreed whatever prizes were 
taken should be equally divided between the crews 
of both ships. After they had cruised here fourteen 
days, they spied seven sail of lofty ships, which 
proved to be the Moors from Mocha. They both 
gave chase, but the Speedy Return being the better 
sailer, first came up with one of them, laid her 
on board and carried her in a very little time, with 
little more damage than the loss of her bowsprit. 
The Prosperous continued the chase, and having 
Capt. Whaley on board as a pilot, took another at 
an anchor, as is related in Capt. Howard's life. 

The Speedy Return steered with her prize for the 
coast of Malabar, where, by agreement, she was to 
wait ten days for her consort. In six days the Pros- 
perous joined them, but without any prize, having 
rifled and dismissed her. 



CAPTAIN NORTH* 199 

Here they made an equal dividend of their prizes, 
burnt the Speedy Return, sunk the Prosperous, went 
all on board the Moor's ship, put to sea, and cruised 
on this coast, where they made several prizes. 
When they came over against Cachine, some black 
merchants, goldsmiths, and several Dutchmen, came 
on board to trade with them, bringing a great many 
sequins, and other gold coin, to change for Spanish 
dollars. As many of the pirates designed to knock 
off and* return home, they gave 500 dollars for 200 
sequins, for the conveniency of close stowage about 
them. The goldsmiths set up their forges on board 
the ship, and were fully employed in making them 
buttons, buckles, and what else they fancied, so that 
they had a fair opportunity of putting in what alloy 
they thought proper. They here also furnished 
themselves with a good quantity of arrack, provi- 
sions and stores, and then leaving the coast, shaped 
their course for Madagascar, but, in the way, fell in 
with the island of Mauritius, and put into a port 
called the North West Harbour. Here they wooded 
and watered. This port affords great abundance of 
a poisonous fish called the Red-Snapper, the nature 
of which was well known to Capt. Bowen, who per- 
suaded his men not to eat of them, but they were 
in port, and then are all commanders, so that thrs 
wholesome advice was thrown away upon them. 
The captain seeing their obstinacy, and that they 
could not be dissuaded, eat with them, choosing 
rather to share the same fate, than be left alone to 
the mercy of the Dutch, as he was conscious of what 
he merited. They supped plentifully on the fish, 
and drank very heartily after it. Soon after they 
began to swell in a frightful manner. The next 
morning some planters came on board with fowls, 
goats, &c. and seeing the pirates in a miserable 
condition, and some of these fish lying on the decks, 
asked if they had not eaten of them ] Being an- 



200 CAPTAIN NORTH. 

swered in the affirmative, they advised their drink- 
ing plentifully of strong liquors, which was the only 
way to expel the poison, which had despatched them 
all in less time, had they not done it after their un- 
fortunate meal. They readily followed this advice, 
as the prescription was agreeable, and by this 
means, with the care of the surgeons, of whom they 
had several expert in their business, and stocked 
with good medicines, they all recovered, four ex- 
cepted, who paid their obstinacy with their lives. 

They here heeled their ship, scrubbed, tallowed, 
and took in what they wanted. When they had 
been three months in this port, the governor sent 
and desired them to put to sea, for he expected the 
arrival of the Dutch East-Indiamen. They accord- 
ingly got every thing ready, and went out, but left 
several of their men behind them, as we have re- 
lated in Bow^n's life. 

From hence they steered for Madagascar, and in 
their passage stopped at Don Mascarenhas, where 
they took in a quantity of hogs, goats, sheep, fowls 
of all sorts, and green turtle. Captain Bowen here 
went ashore with 40 of his men, having obtained 
the governor's protection by the force of presents. 
These men designed to give over their piracy, and 
return home the first opportunities offered them. 
In six months after they landed here, Capt. Bowen 
was taken ill of the dry belly-ache, a distemper as 
common here as in the West-India Islands, died, 
and was buried in the highway, for the priests would 
not allow him holy ground, as he was a heretic. 

But to return. When Bowen went ashore, North 
was chosen captain. The ceremony of this instal- 
lation is as follows : — The crew having made choice 
of a person to command, either by an unanimous 
consent, or by a majority of suffrages, they carry 
him a sword in a very solemn manner, make him 
some compliments, and desire he will take upon 



CAMAIK NORTH. 201 

him the command, as he is the most capable among 
them ; that he will take possession of the great ca- 
bin : and, on his accepting the office, he is led into 
the cabin in state, and placed at a table, where only 
one chair is set at the upper end, and one at the 
lower end of the table for the company's quarter- 
master. The captain and he being placed, ttie lat- 
ter succinctly tells him, that the company having 
experience of his conduct and courage, do him the 
honour to elect him for their head, not doubting his 
behaving himself with his usual bravery, and doing 
every thing which may conduce to the public good ; 
in confidence of which, he, in the name of the com- 
pany, promises to obey all his lawful commands, 
and declares him captain. Then the quarter-master 
takes up the sword, which he had before presented 
him, and he had returned, puts it into his hand, and 
says, This is the commission under which you are to 
act ; may you prove fortunate to yourself and us. 
The guns are then fired round, shot and all ; he is 
saluted with three cheers ; and the ceremony ends 
with an invitation from the captain to such as he 
thinks fit to have dine with him, and a large bowl 
of punch is ordered to every mess, 

Capt. North, leaving this island, steered for Mada- 
gascar, and came to Cape Dolphin at the south end, 
where he anchored, and took on board some re- 
freshments, but it blowing hard, he was obliged to 
put to sea, and leave his boat with 30 men behind 
him. He ran along the east side of the island, and 
came to Ambonavoula, in lat. 17 deg. 38 m. where 
they put on shore some of their goods, and settled 
themselves among the negroes, several living in a 
house. Here they lived as sovereign princes among 
the inhabitants. 

The Moor prisoners they kept on board, and 
allowed them sufficient fresh provisions. North pri« 
vately told the boats warn of the Moors to take advan* 



202 CAPTAIN NORTH. 

tage of the land breeze in the night time, and go off 
with the ship, and what goods were left on board, or 
the pirates would soon haul her up, take every thing 
on shore, and they never see their own country 
again. Accordingly the boatswain, following this 
advice, laid hold of the opportunity of a dark night, 
and communicating his design to the other Moors, 
whom he did not acquaint with this advice, as North 
charged him not, till he was on the point of exe- 
cuting his design, they weighed with great silence 
and stood to sea. 

The next morning some of the pirates proposed 
to go on board and bring off some iron and other 
things to trade with in the country ; but they were 
strangely surprised when they missed the ship. 
They alarmed the rest of their comrades, and went 
in a body to Capt. North, to tell him what had hap- 
pened. He answered, if the Moors were gone off 
with the ship, it was their own fault ; they ought to 
have left a sufficient number of* hands on board to 
have secured her; and there was now no remedy 
but patience, for they had no vessel to pursue with, 
except they thought the canoe proper. 

Some of the pirates thought, as she lay in foul 
ground, the cable might be cut by some rock, and 
the ship blown off to sea by that accident. On start- 
ing this, some of them ran up to an eminence, and 
from thence spied the ship as far as they could well 
see, with all sail set, which was a cruel and con- 
vincing proof that their loss was irreparable. 

They endeavoured to make themselves easy, 
since there was no help ; and transporting their 
goods to different abodes, at small distances, they 
settled themselves, buying cattle and slaves, and 
lived in a neighbourly manner, one among another, 
five years, cleared a great deal of ground, and 
planted provisions, such as yams, potatoes, &c. 
The natives among whom they fixed, had frequent 



CAPTAIN NORTH. 203 

broils "and wars among themselves, but the pirates 
interposed, and endeavoured to reconcile all differ- 
ences, North deciding their disputes with that im- 
partiality and strict regard to distributive justice, 
(for he was allowed, by all, a man of admirable 
good natural parts) that he ever sent away, even 
the party who was cast, satisfied with the reason, 
and content with the equity of his decisions. 

These inclinations which the pirates showed to 
peace, and the example they set of an amicable way 
of life, (for they carefully avoided all jars, and agreed 
to refer all cause of complaint among themselves 
which might arise, to a cool hearing before North, 
and twelve of their companions,) gave them a great 
character among the natives, who were before very 
much prejudiced against the white men. Nay, in 
this point of keeping up a harmony among them- 
selves, they were so exact, that whosoever spoke 
but in an angry or peevish tone, was rebuked by all 
the company, especially if before any of the country 
people, though even but a slave of their own ; for 
they thought, and very justly, that unity and concord 
were the only means to warrant their safety ; for the 
people being ready to make war on one another 
upon the slightest occasion, they did not doubt but 
they would take the advantage of any division which 
they might observe among the whites, and cut them 
off whenever a fair opportuuity offered. 

The example they set, and the care they took to 
accommodate differences among their neighbours, 
had calmed all the country round them. After 
they had lived here near three years, Capt. North, 
and some of his companions, had a mind to visit the 
country southward, and trade for more slaves and 
cattle ; to which end, taking a considerable quantity 
of powder and arms, beside what they might use, 
with 50 whites and 300 natives, he set forward on 
his journey. When they had travelled aboui 8£ 



204 CAPTAIN NORTH. 

miles southward, they came to a nation rich in 
slaves and cattle, who inhabited the banks of the 
largest river on the east side of the island, called 
Mangora. With these people he trafficked for a 
great number of slaves and cattle, which he pur- 
chased for guns and powder. They being at war 
when Capt. North came among them, with a neigh- 
bouring prince, he was entreated to give his assists 
ance, for which they, the Mangorians, promised 
him 100 slaves with 500 head of cattle, and all the 
prisoners they should take. On these conditions he 
joined them, and marched to a very large town of 
the enemy's, which was naturally very strong, and 
esteemed by the natives impregnable, being situ- 
ated on a high and craggy rock, which could be 
ascended by the way only leading to the gate, where 
was kept a strong guard. The blacks in North's 
army were for leaving this town unattempted, and 
marching farther into the country, in search of 
booty; but North told them it was not safe to leave 
a garrison of enemies at their backs, which would 
continually infest them by falling on their rear, and 
which would be an obstacle to their carrying off 
what plunder they might get together ; beside, it 
would be an asylum for all the country, which would 
fly thither till they had gathered a body considera- 
ble enough to come down and face them in the 
open field, which the enemy might do with reason- 
able hopes of success, as their men would be all 
fresh, while those of his party would be fatigued 
with marches, perhaps encumbered by plunder, and 
worn down with the inconveniences of lying ex- 
posed in the fields. 

The chief of his allies allowed his reasons good, 
were an attempt on the town practicable, which 
experience told him was not ; for, though several 
times besieged, it never could be taken, and it would 
be the loss of a great deal of time, and many men's 



CAPTAIN NORTH. 205 

lives to attempt it. North desired he would leave 
the management of this siege to him. The chief 
answered, he should do as he pleased, but it was 
against his judgment to attack a town which nature 
herself had fortified, which God Almighty would 
never suffer to be taken, and which had, to no pur- 
pose, cost the lives of a number scarce to be told, 
of his countrymen, in the several attempts they had 
made to be masters of it. 

North disposed his army, and invested the rock 
on every side ; then sent word to the town, if they 
did not surrender, he would give no quarter to 
either sex or age. The inhabitants laughed at his 
message, and told him, that they did not believe he 
had learnt the art of flying, and till he had, they 
thought themselves very secure from his putting 
such menaces in execution. 

Out of the white men, North chose 30, whom he 
set at the head of three companies, consisting of 1 
blacks each ; and as they had some grenade-she's 
with them, soon dispersed the guard at the foot of 
the rock, and made a lodgment. Though the 
blacks were acquainted with fire-arms, the shells 
were entirely new to them, and as they saw their 
terrible effect, threw down their' arms, and gained 
the middle of the rock, where they had another 
corps de guarde, though not without some loss. 
Those who were at the bottom of the rock being 
put to flight, North sent 10 whites and 500 blacks 
to take that post, and orders to the other whites to 
mount the rock, and having beat that guard, if pos- 
sible, to enter the town with them. They accord- 
ingly ascended in this order, as the road was so 
narrow, only three could pass abreast ; and as the 
enemy, when within cast of a dart, threw down a 
shower upon them, three unarmed blacks with their 
shields marched before three small shot men, and 
sheltered them from the enemy's weapons. These 

18 



206 CAPTAIN NORTH. 

were followed by others, with the same precaution, 
the white men being mixed with those who thus 
went up, that is to say, one white musketeer to two 
blacks. 

The enemy seemed resolute to defend the pass, 
but when they had, to no purpose, spent a number 
of darts, and had lost some men by the shot, they 
swiftly took to the top of the rock, where, joined 
with fresh men from the town, they made a stand 
and show of resistance. North's men followed, and 
pouring in a volley, put them into confusion, which 
gave the assailants an opportunity to come near 
enough to throw in their shells, half a dozen of 
which bursting with considerable damage, and the 
slaughter of several men, they thought to shelter 
themselves in the town, but the inhabitants, fearing 
the enemy's entering with them, shut the gates 
against both, so that the blacks of North's army, 
notwithstanding all the whites could do to the con- 
trary, made a great slaughter ; however, they saved 
some, whom they sent prisoners to the camp, de- 
siring, at the same time, a supply of powder to 
make a petard. 

In the mean while the enemy from the town 
threw a prodigious quantity of darts, which the be- 
siegers received upon their shields, at least, the 
greater part. 

The town was again summoned, but they refused 
to surrender ; wherefore they were obliged to shel- 
ter themselves as well as they could, and expect 
the powder from the camp ; though in the mean 
while the small shot from without being warmly 
plied, the throwing of darts from the town became 
less frequent, for no one could show his head but 
with the greatest danger. 

When the powder came, they cut down and hol- 
lowed a tree, which they filled with powder, and 
plugged up very tight, and under the protection of 



CAPTAIN NORTH. 207 

their shields and muskets, got it to the gate, under 
which they dug a hole large enough to receive it. 
then setting fire to the fuse, it burst with a terrible 
crack, tore their gate to atoms, and left an open 
passage, which the besiegers, who had been joined 
with 500 more blacks, who came up with the pow- 
der, entered, and began a very great slaughter. 
The whites protected all they could who submitted, 
but notwithstanding their diligence, the town was 
strewed with dead and dying men. At length, what 
with being tired, and what with persuasion, the 
slaughter ceased, the town was reduced to ashes, 
and the conquerors returned to camp with 3000 
prisoners, whom his allies led to their own quarters, 
where culling out the old women, children, and 
useless slaves, they sent them to North, as if by 
these, they thought themselves released from the 
promise made to induce his assistance. 

When North saw the dishonesty of these people, 
he sent for their prince, and told him, " According to 
agreement all the slaves belonged to him ; nay, 
according to justice, he alone had a right to them, 
since he despaired of taking the town, so far as to 
dissuade his besieging it ; and that he not only owed 
to him their success, but even the safety of his 
army, and all the plunder they should make in the 
prosecution of the war, for reasons already given, 
and by himself allowed to be good. That he thought 
he had allied himself to a people of integrity, but 
he was sorry to say, he found himself quite mistaken 
in his opinion, since they were so far from making 
good their treaty, that they sent him out of the slaves 
taken, instead of all, those only whom they knew 
not what to do with ; that they must not imagine 
him so blind as not to perceive how disingenuously 
he was dealt with ; or that he wanted either strength 
or resolution to resent the usage." 

He then asked what was become of a number of 



208 CAPTAIN NORTH. 

young and handsome women he had seen among 
the captives ? The prince answered, " that those 
he inquired after, were his and his countrymen's 
relations, and as such, they could not consent to, 
nor could he require, their being made slaves.' 5 

This answer made, the chief left him. As it was 
delivered in a pretty haughty tone, it did not a little 
nettle both North and his comrades. The latter 
were for immediately doing themselves justice ; but 
the former begged they would have patience, and 
rely on him. They followed his advice, and he sent 
an interpreter, who inquired privately among the 
women what relation they bore to the people of the 
river ] The prisoners answered, that some of their 
forefathers had intermarried with that nation. 

I must here take notice, that notwithstanding the 
inhabitants of Madagascar have but one language, 
which is common tcvthe whole island, the difference 
of the dialect, in different nations, makes it very 
difficult for any but the natives, or those who have 
been a great many years (more than North and his 
companions had been) among them, to understand 
them perfectly, which is the reason he made use of 
an interpreter, as well between him and the chief, 
as between the slaves and him. 

When he had received this answer from the pri- 
soners, he went to the prince, and told him, " It was 
very odd he should make war on his relations ; how- 
ever, he should keep them, since he declared them 
such, till he could prove his right better than the 
prince could his nearness of blood ; that as he had 
once taken them, he would try if he could not sup- 
port the justice of his claim, and told him therefore 
to be upon his guard, for he openly declared, he was 
no longer the ally, but the professed enemy of faith- 
less people." 

Saying this, he and his blacks separated them- 
selves from the Mangorians, and North divided them 



CAPTAIN NORTH. 



209 



into companies, with his white men at the head of 
each, and ordered them to fire ball over the heads of 
their late allies. The first volley was a prodigious 
astonishment to the Mangorians, several of whom 
ran away, but North firing two more immediately, 
and marching up to them, brought the prince and the 
head officers of his army to him, crawling on all fours. 
They (as the custom of showing the greatest sub- 
mission is among them) kissed the feet of the whites, 
and begged they would continue their friendship, 
and dispose of every thing as they thought proper. 

North told him, " Deceit was the sign of a mean 
and coward soul ; that had he, the prince, thought 
too considerable, what, however, was justly his due, 
because not only promised to, but taken by him, he 
ought to have expostulated with him, North, and 
told him his sentiments, which might have, it was 
possible, made no division, for neither he nor his 
men were unreasonable ; but as the prince had not 
the courage publicly to claim the slaves, he would 
have basely stolen them by false pretences of kin- 
dred, it was a sign he did not think such claim justifi- 
able, as certainly it was not, for all his captains could 
witness their prince had agreed the prisoners taken 
should be given to the whites, and his companions, 
a sufficient title, to mention no other. That he had 
resolved to show them, by a severe chastisement,, 
the abhorrence those of his colour have to ingrati- 
tude and deceit, and what difference there was^ in 
fighting on the ground of justice, and the supporting 
wrong and injury ; but as they acknowledged their 
error, he should not only forgive but forget what was 
past, provided no new treachery, in his return, 
which he resolved upon, refreshed his memory." 
He then ordered them to bring all the slaves, and 
they punctually complied without reply. 

North chose out the finest and ablest among 
them, and dividing the whole number of prisoners 

18* 



210 CAPTAIN NORTH. 

into two equal bands, he kept that in which he had 
placed the chosen slaves, and sent the other to the 
prince, telling him, "though neither fraud nor com- 
pulsion could wring a slave from him, yet justice, 
as some of his troops had shared the danger, and a 
generous temper, had sent him that present, which 
was half the spoil, though he could not think of go- 
ing any farther on with the war ; that he ought to 
content himself with the taking a town hitherto 
thought impregnable, and blame his own conduct, 
if he should continue in the field, and hereafter find 
the want of his assistance." 

The prince and his people admired the penetra- 
tion, bravery, and generosity of the whites, and 
sent them word, " he was more obliged to them for 
the lesson they had taught him by their practice, 
than for the slaves they had presented him, though 
he esteemed the present as he ought. That for the 
future he should have an abhorrence for every mean 
action, since he had learned from them the beauty 
of a candid, open, sincere procedure. At the same 
time, he thanked him for the present, and not suf- 
fering his resentment to go farther than the fright- 
ening him into his duty; for he was sensible his balls 
were not fired over their heads, but by orders pro- 
ceeding from the humanity of the whites, w r ho, he ob- 
served, were tender over the lives of their enemies, 
contrary to the custom of his countrymen, who 
give quarter to none, the females and infants ex- 
cepted, that there may hereafter be none to take 
revenge ; and therefore begged he would suffer 
their submission to get the better of his design to 
depart." This could not prevail. The whites and 
their friends, who came with them, turned their 
faces towards home, taking their slaves and cattle 
with them ; and though the Mangorians were sensi- 
bly touched at the obstinacy of North's resolution, 
yet they parted very amicably. 






CAPTAIN NORTH. 211 

As the whites were returning home with their 
company, they fell in with another nation, the Ti- 
mouses, whose prince joined North, with 500 men, 
and swore a strict amity with him and his crew. 

The ceremony used among the natives, as it rs 
uncommon, so an account of it may, perhaps, be 
agreeable. The parties who swear to each other, 
interweave their toes and fingers, so that they must 
necessarily sit very close to each other. When they 
have thus knit their hands and feet, they recipro- 
cally swear to do each other all friendly offices, to 
be a friend or enemy to the friend or enemy of the 
party to whom they swear ; and if they falsify the 
oath they make, they imprecate several curses on 
themselves, as may they fall by the lance, be de- 
voured by the alligator, or struck dead by the hand 
of God. Then an assistant scarifies each of the con- 
tracting parties on the chest, and wiping up the 
blood with a piece of bread, gives this bloody bread 
to each of them to eat, that is, each eats the blood 
of the other ; and this oath, whether it be with equal 
parties, or with a prince and his subject, where the 
one promises protection and the other obedience, 
(which was the nature of that taken between North 
and this prince) is looked upon inviolable, and they 
have few examples of its being broken ; but where 
any has been wicked enough to violate this solemn 
oath, they say, they have been ever punished ac- 
cording to their imprecations. 

As this prince had war with powerful neighbours, 
he left his country, taking with him all his great 
men, wives, and relations, with a company of about 
500 fighting men, followed North, and settled by 
him, where he remained two years. During this 
space, being supplied with arms and powder by 
Capt. North, he made several inroads into the coun- 
tries of his enemies, and made all he conquered 
swear allegiance to Capt. North. 






212 CAPTAIN NORTH. 

At the expiration of two years, Captain Halsey 
came in with a brigantine, as is related in the life of 
Capt. White. This crew, having made a broken 
voyage, were discontented with their captain, and 
desired North to take the command upon him ; but 
he declined it, saying, Halsey was every way as ca- 
pable, and that they ought not to depose a man, 
whom they could not tax with either want of cou- 
rage or conduct; and for his part, he would never 
take the command from any one who did not justly 
merit dismission, which was not Halsey's case. 

The crew were not, however, satisfied, and they 
made the same offer to White, but by North's indus- 
try, they were, at last, prevailed on to continue their 
old commander ; and as North and his companions 
had expended their money in settling their planta- 
tions, and wanted clothes, the former, therefore, ac- 
cepted the quarter-master's post under Halsey, and 
the others went in the capacity of private gentle- 
men adventurers, I mean plain foremast men, as 
may be gathered in the life of that pirate, to which 
I refer for an account of the expedition they made 
in the Red Sea. Capt. Halsey, on board a prize, 
left North to command the brigantine they set out 
in. The two commanders were separated by a 
storm, but both made for Madagascar. Halsey got 
to Ambonavoula, but North fell in with Maratan, 
where, finding the brigantine was very much worm- 
eaten, and made a great deal of water, with one 
consent, they took ashore all their goods, and laid 
tip their vessel. 

The pirates continued here a whole year, when 
being desirous of going to Ambonavoula, they asked 
the king's assistance to build a boat, and he, for 
1000 dollars, set negroes to work, under the direc- 
tions of Capt. North, and a vessel of 15 tons was set 
up and launched with great despatch. In this boat 
they went to a river, called Manangaro, thirty leagues 



CAPTAIN NORTH. 213 

to the northward of Maratan. Here some of their 
comrades came to them in a boat belonging to the 
Scotch ship Neptune, and helped to transport their 
goods to Ambonavoula, where h$ had before settled, 
and had a woman and three children. 

He had not been long returned before his neigh- 
bouring natives reported, that the Timouses, who 
had followed him from the southward, had a design 
to rebel against, and murder him and the other 
wiiites, which giving too easy credit to, he made 
war upon, and drove these poor people out of the 
country. 

Some time after he built a sloop, and went to An- 
tonguil, where he purchased 90 slaves, and took in 
the Scotch supercargo, Mr. George Cruikeshank, 
with a design to carry him to Mascarenhas ; but all 
his comrades were against it, saying, when he got 
to Europe, he would prove their destruction. North 
answered, that nothing could be more cruel, after 
they had taken the greater part of what the poor 
gentleman had, than to keep him from his country, 
family, and friends. For his part, were he his pri- 
soner, he should not ask their consent in doing an 
act of humanity, and the only one they were able, 
towards making him some reparation, since they 
could not return his goods, which were parcelled 
out into so many shares. 

On North's saying thus much, they put the affair 
in question to vote, and there being many who 
were under obligations to North, and whom he in- 
fluenced in favour of the supercargo, 48 out of 54 
voted for discharging him. North having gained 
this point, the pirates asked if he also designed to 
take with him one John Barnard, a young Scotch- 
man, a great favourite of his, who had been mid- 
shipman on board the Neptune, a thorough seaman, 
and very capable of taking the command in any 
voyage. He answered, there was a necessity for 



214 CAPTAIN NORTH. 

taking him, since he should want his assistance, as 
he depended on his knowledge. His companions 
said Barnard would certainly give him the slip, which 
would be a loss to them all, as he was an excellent 
navigator, and therefore his detention was neces- 
sary to their common good. To this North answer- 
ed/that his own security would oblige his taking 
care that he should not get from him, since no other 
on board was capable of finding the way back to 
Ambonavoula. 

He went to Mascarenhas, where the supercargo 
and his negro were put on shore with all the money 
he had, which amounted to about 1600 dollars ; for 
when the pirates made prize of the Neptune, in the 
manner already stated, they took none of the money 
they themselves had before paid for liquors, &c. 
either from the captain, supercargo, or any other 
on board ; for that they looked upon a base, as well 
as dishonest action ; but to the ship and remaining 
part of the cargo, they had a fair title, viz. they 
wanted both. 

North would not suffer Barnard to go ashore. 
However, to make him amends for his confinement, 
he gave him four negroes, whom he sold for 300 
lollars, and took care that he should live plentifully 
and well on board. North's business at this island, 
was to get leave to carry his children there to be 
educated in the christian faith, which, after some 
rich presents made the governor, he obtained, and 
returned to Madagascar. In the voyage, as Bar- 
nard was very greatly in his favour/ and his con- 
fidant, he told him, his design was to leave his chil- 
dren at Mascarenhas, and place fortunes for them 
in the hands of some honest priest, who would give 
them a christian education (for he thought it better 
to have them papists, than not christians) and would 
then go back to Maratan, and endeavour, by his pe- 
nitence, to make atonement for his former life, and 



CAPTAIN NORTH. 215 

never more go off the island on any account ; that 
lie would give his sloop to Barnard, with 200 dollars, 
that he might find some means to return home* 
since he very wisely refused to join with the pirates. 

When he came on the Madagascar coast, he heard 
a French ship had touched there, and left some men 
behind; upon which account North ran to the south- 
ward 100 leagues out of his way, to inquire after and 
assist these people. 

He found but one man, whom he took home with 
him, clothed and maintained him. When he came 
back to Ambonavoula, he found the country all in 
an uproar, and the rest of his companions preparing 
for a war with the natives ; but his arrival restored 
their former quiet. After four months stay at home, 
he fitted his sloop to go out and purchase slaves at 
Antonguil ; but finding few there to his mind, for in 
two months he bought but 40, he returned to his 
settlement. He designed now to carry his children 
to Mascarenhas, but being dissuaded by Barnard on 
account of the season, he went to Methelage on the 
west side of the island, to trade for samsams. Hav- 
ing purchased a considerable quantity of them, he 
went to Johanna, thence to Mayotta, and returned 
again to Madagascar ; but not being able to get 
round the north end, on account of the current, he 
put for Mayotta again. On the west side of this 
island he put into a port, called Sorez, where, some 
time before, came a ship from England to trade, 
commanded by one Price, who going ashore with 
his doctor was detained (as was also his boat's crew) 
till he redeemed himself and surgeon, with 200 bar- 
rels of powder and 1000 small arms ; but was forced 
to leave his boat's crew, not having wherewithal to 
ransom them, though the demand was only two 
small arms for each man. These poor creatures 
were afterwards sold to the Arabians. In revenge, 
North and his crew landed, burnt a large town, ancj 



216 CAPTAIN NORTH. 

did all the damage they could. From Mayotta he 
went again to Madagascar, where a king of his 
acquaintance told him the whites and natives were 
at war at Ambonavoula. He bought 30 slaves, re- 
freshed his crew, and went home. On the news of 
his arrival, the natives sent to conclude a peace, but 
he would not listen to them ; on the contrary, raised 
an army, burnt a number of towns, and took a great 
many prisoners. 

This success brought the natives to sue in a very 
humble manner for a cessation of arms, that a ge- 
neral peace might follow. This he agreed to about 
four months after his arrival. 

His enemies, having now the opportunity, cor- 
rupted some of the neighbouring natives, and in the 
night surprised and murdered him in his bed. His 
comrades, however, being alarmed, took to their 
arms, drove the treacherous multitude before them 
with great slaughter, and to revenge North's death, 
continued the war seven years, m which time they 
became masters of all the country round, and drove 
out all who did not swear allegiance to them. 
i North had his will lying by him, which directed 
Barnard to carry his children to Mascarenhas, in his 
sloop, which he left to him, He was at the charge 
of fitting her up, and laid out the greater part of the 
rntney North bequeathed him ; but the pirates 
would not suffer him to stir while the wars lasted, 
fearing he would not return, having never joined 
them in any piracies ; and therefore, by one consent, 
setting fire to the sloop, they detained him several 
years. 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS 




AN ACCOUNT 

Of the piracies and cruelties of John Jlugur, Wil- 
liam Cunningham, Dennis Mackarthy, William 
Dowling, William Lewis, Thomas Morris, George 
Bendall, and William Ling, who were tried, con- 
demned, and executed at Nassau, (JV. P.) on Fri- 
day, the 10th of December, 1718. Jllso, some ac- 
count of the pirates, Vane, Rackham, and others. 



About the 20th of July, 1718, Mr. Woodes Rogers, 
Governor and Vice- Admiral of the Bahama Islands, 
being sent from England with the king's proclamation 
and pardon for all pirates who had surrendered by a 
time specified in the said proclamation, arrived at 
Providence. It was evening when the fleet came 
off the town of Nassau in the said island, when 
Richard Turnley, the pilot, did not judge it safe to 
venture over the bar that night, wherefore it was 
resolved to lay by till morning. 

In the mean time, there came some men on 
board the fleet from off a little island, called Harbour- 
Island, adjacent to Providence. The advice they 
brought was, that there were near a thousand 
pirates on shore upon the island of Providence, wait- 
ing for the king's pardon, which had been long ex- 
pected. The principal part of their commanders 
were Benjamin Hornygold, Arthur Davis, Joseph 
Burgess, Thomas Carter, and they were all in or 
about the town of Nassau ; that the fort was ex- 
tremely out of repair, there being only one gun 
mounted, a nine pounder, and no accommodation 

19 



„.2.^8 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

for men, but one little hut or house, which was 
inhabited by an old fellow, whom the pirates, in de- 
rJsion, called Governor Sawney. 

The fleet was seen from the harbour, as well as 
the town, so that Capt. Charles Vane, who had no 
design of surrendering, but, on the contrary, had fit- 
ted out his ship with a resolution of attempting new 
adventures, took the advantage of the night to 
contrive his escape ; and though the harbour was 
blocked up, and his ship drew too much water to 
get out by the east passage, he shifted his hands, 
and things of most value, into a lighter vessel, and 
charging all the guns of the ship he quitted, with 
double, round and partridge, he set her on fire, ima- 
gining that some of the ships, or their boats, might 
be sent near him, and he might do some mischief 
when it should burn down to them. 

Those in the fleet saw the light, and heard the 
guns, and fancied the pirates on shore were making 
bonfires, and firing guns for joy that the king's free 
pardon had arrived ; and Capt. Whitney, command- 
er of the Rose man of war, sent his boat with a lieu- 
tenant on shore, which was intercepted by Vane, 
who carried the crew on board and stripped them 
of some stores they had in the boat. He kept them 
till he got under sail, which was till day -break, 
when there was light enough for him to see how to 
steer his way through the east passage; which was 
no sooner done but he hoisted a black flag, and fired 
a gun, and then let the lieutenant and boat's crew 
depart and join the fleet. 

The fleet got safe into the harbour, and as soon 
as the lieutenant arrived on board, and related what 
had passed, the Buck sloop was ordered to chase 
Vane. She made what sail she could through the 
cast passage after him, having a recruit of men well 
armed sent to her from the other ships ; but being 
heavily laden with rich goods, Vane had the heels 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 219' 

of her, which the commodore observing, made a 
signal for her to give up the chase and return, 
which she did accordingly. 

They immediately fell to mooring and securing 
their ships, which took up the time till night. Next 
morning the governor went on shore, being received 
at his landing by the principal people in the govern- 
ment of the place, viz. Thomas Walker, Esq. Chief 
Justice, and Thomas Taylor, Esq. President of the 
Council. The pirate captains, Hornygold, Davis, 
Carter, Burgess, Currant, and Clark, with some 
others, drew up their crews in two lines, reaching 
from the water side to the fort, the governor and 
other officers marching between them. In the 
mean time, being under arms, they made a running 
fire over his head. 

Having arrived at the fort, his commission was 
opened and read, and he was sworn in governor of 
the island, according to form. 

The next day the governor made out a commis- 
sion to Richard Turnley, the chief pilot, to Mr. 
Salter, a factor, and some others, to go on board 
and examine all suspected ships and vessels in 
the harbour, to take an inventory of their several 
ladings, and to secure both ships and cargoes for 
the use of the king and company, till such time as 
a Court of Admiralty could be called, that they 
might be lawfully cleared or condemned by proving 
which belonged to pirates, and which to -fair traders. 

The day following a court-martial was held, in 
which a military discipline was settled, in order to 
prevent surprises, both from Spaniards and pirates, 
till such time as the fort could be repaired, and put 
into a condition of defence. For this purpose the 
governor was obliged to make use of some of the 
pardoned pirates, such as Hornygold, Davis, and 
Burgess, to whom he gave some commands : and 
George Fetherston, James Bonney, and Dennis 



220 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

Mackarthy, with some other pirates of a lower 
rank, acted under them as inferior officers. 

Soon after, the civil government was also settled, 
some of the principal officers being appointed 
justices of the peace ; others of inferior degree, 
constables and overseers of the ways and roads, 
which were overgrown with bushes and underwood, 
all about the town of Nassau; so that if an enemy 
had landed in the night, they might lie in ambus- 
cade in those covers, and surprise the town ; where- 
fore, several of the common pirates were employed 
in clearing them away. 

The governor, with some soldiers, guarded the fort, 
and the inhabitants, who were formed into trained 
bands, took care of the town ; but as there was no 
sort of accommodation to lodge such a number of 
people, they were forced to unbend the sails, and 
bring them on shore, in order to make tents, till 
they had time to build houses, which was done with 
all possible expedition, by a kind of architecture 
altogether new. 

Those that were built in the fort were done by 
making six little holes in the rock, at convenient 
distances, in each of which was stuck a forked pole ; 
on these, from one to the other, were placed cross 
poles or rafters, which being lathed at top, and 
on the sides, with small sticks, were afterwards 
covered with Palmata leaves, and then the house 
was finished; for they did not much trouble them- 
selves about the ornaments of doors and windows. 

In the mean time the repairs of the fort were car- 
ried on, and the streets were ordered to be kept 
clean, both for health and convenience, so that it 
began to have the appearance of a civilized place. 
A proclamation was published for the encourage- 
ment of all such persons as should be willing to 
settle upon the island of Providence, by which every 
person was to have a lot of ground of a hundred 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS 



221 



aiKl twenty feet square, any where in or about the 
town of Nassau, that was not before in the posses- 
sion of others, provided they should clear said 
ground, and build a house tenantable, by a certain 
time therein limited, which might be easily done, as 
they might have timber for nothing. This had the 
effect proposed, and a great many immediately fell 
to work, to comply with the conditions, in order to 
settle themselves there. 

Many of the pirates were employed in the woods 
in cutting down sticks to make palisadoes ; and all 
the people belonging to the ships, officers excepted, 
were obliged to work four days in the week on the 
fortifications, so that in a short time a strong en- 
trenchment was cast round the fort, and being well 
palisadoed, it was rendered tolerably strong. 

But it did not much suit the inclinations of the 
pirates to be set to work ; and though they had pro- 
vision sufficient, and had also a good allowance of 
wine and brandy to each man, yet they began to 
have such a hankering after their old trade, that many 
of them took opportunities of seizing periaguas, 
and other boats, in the night, and making their 
escape, so that in a few months, there was not many 
of them left. 

However, when the Spanish war was proclaimed, 
several of them returned back again of their own 
accord, tempted with the hopes of being employed 
upon the privateering account, for that place lying 
near the coast of Spanish America, and also not far 
from the Gulf of Florida, seemed to be a good sta- 
tion for intercepting the Spanish vessels going to 

old Spain. . . 

They were not mistaken in this supposition ; tor 
the governor according to the power vested in him, 
did grant commissions for privateering, and made 
choice of some of the principal pirates who had con* 
tinued upon the island, in obedience to the pardon> 
r 19* 



222 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

for commanders, as being persons well qualified for 
such employments, who made up their crews chiefly 
of their scattered companions, who were newly 
returned upon the hopes of preferment. 

About this time a fishing vessel, belonging to the 
island of Providence, brought in the master of a ship 
and a few sailors, whom she had picked up at sea 
in a canoe. The said master was called Captain 
King, who sailed in a ship called the Neptune, be- 
longing to South-Carolina, laden with rice, pitch, 
tar, and other merchandise, bound for London. 

The account he gave of himself was, that he was 
met with by Charles Vane, the pirate, who carried 
him into Green Turtle Bay, one of the Bahama 
islands, by whom he was plundered of a great part 
of his cargo, which, consisting chiefly of stores, was 
of great use to them ; that afterwards they cut away 
part of one of the masts of the ship, and fired a 
gun down her hold, with intent to sink her ; that 
they took some of his men into their service, and 
when they were sailing off, gave him and the rest 
a canoe to save themselves ; that with this canoe 
they made shift to sail from one little island to ano- 
ther, till they had the good luck to meet the fishing 
boat which took them up ; and that he believed 
Charles Vane might still be cruising thereabouts. 

Upon this intelligence, the governor fitted out a 
ship which was named the Willing Mind, manned 
with 50 stout hands, well armed, and also a sloop 
with 30 hands, which he sent to cruise among those 
islands, in search of Vane, the pirate, giving them 
orders also to endeavour to recover the ship Nep- 
tune, which Capt. King told them had still goods of 
considerable value left in her. 

They went out accordingly, but never saw Vane. 
However, they found the Neptune, which was not 
sunk as the pirates intended; for the ball they 
fired into her stuck in the ballast, without passing 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 223 

through. They returned with her about the 10th of 
November; but an unlucky accident happened to 
the Willing Mind, occasioned either by the igno- 
rance or carelessness of the pilot, which bilged in 
going over the bar. 

In the mean time Vane made towards the coast 
of Hispaniola,> living riotously on board, having an 
abundance of liquor, and plenty of fresh provisions, 
such as hogs, goats, sheep, and fowl, which he got 
upon easy terms ; for touching at a place called 
Isleathera, he plundered the inhabitants of as much 
of their provision as they could carry away. Here 
they cruised to about February, when, near the 
windward passage of Cape Mase, they met with a 
large rich ship of London, called the Kingston, laden 
with bale goods, and other rich merchandise, and 
having several passengers on board, some English, 
and some Jews, besides two women. 

Towards the north end of Jamaica, they also met 
with a turtle sloop, bound in for that island, on board 
of which (after having first plundered her) they 
put the captain of the Kingston, some of his men, 
and all the passengers except the two women, 
whom they detained, contrary to their usual prac- 
tice. 

The Kingston they kept for their own use ; for 
now their company being strengthened by a great 
many recruits, some volunteers and some forced 
men out of the Neptune and Kingston, they thought 
they had hands enough for two ships. Accordingly 
they shifted several of their hands on board the 
Kingston, and John Rackham, alias Calico Jack, (so 
called, because his jackets and drawers were always 
made of calico) quarter-master to Vane, was unani- 
mously chosen captain of the Kingston. 

The empire of these pirates had not been long 
thus divided before they had like to have fallen into 
a civil war among themselves, which must havo 



224 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

ended in the destruction of one of them. The fatal 
occasion of the difference between these two bro- 
ther adventurers, was this. It happened that Vane's 
liquor was all out, who sending to his brother cap- 
tain for a supply, Rackham accordingly spared him 
what he thought fit ; but it falling short of Vane's 
expectation, as to quantity, he went on board of 
Rackham's ship to expostulate with him, so that 
words arising, Rackham threatened to shoot him 
through the head, if he did not immediately return 
to his own ship ; and told him likewise, that if he 
did not sheer off, and part company, he would sink 
him. Vane thought it best to take his advice, for 
he thought the other was bold enough to be as good 
as his word, for he had it in his power to be so, his 
ship being the largest and* strongest of the two. 
Accordingly they parted, and Rackham made for 
the island of Princes, and having great quantities 
of rich goods on board, taken in the late prizes, they 
were divided into lots, and he and his crew shared 
them by throwing dice, the highest cast being to 
choose first. When they had done, they packed up 
their goods in casks, and buried them on shore in 
the island of Princes, that they might have room for 
fresh booty. In the mean time it happening that a 
turtle sloop, belonging to Jamaica, came in there,. 
Rackham sent his boat and brought the master on 
board of him, and asking him several questions, the 
master informed him that war with Spain had been 
proclaimed in Jamaica; and that the time appointed 
by the general pardon for pirates to surrender, in 
order to receive the benefit thereof, had not ex- 
pired. 

Upon this intelligence Rackham and his crew sud- 
denly changed their minds, and were resolved to 
take the benefit of the pardon by a speedy surren- 
der; wherefore, instead of using the master ill, as 
the poor man expected, they made him several pre- 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 225 

sents, desiring him to sail back to Jamaica, and ac- 
quaint the governor they were willing to surrender, 
provided he would give his word and honour they 
should have the benefit of the pardon ; which, ex- 
tensive as it was, they apprehended they were not 
entitled to, because they had run away in defiance 
of it at Providence. They desired the master also 
to return with the governor's answer, assuring him 
he should be no loser by the voyage. 

The master very willingly undertook the commis- 
sion, and arriving at Jamaica, delivered his message 
to the governor, according to his instructions ; but 
it happened that the master of the Kingston, with 
Siis passengers, having arrived at Jamaica, had ac- 
quainted the governor with the piracies of Vane ami 
Rackham, before the turtle got thither, who was 
actually fitting out two sloops, which were now just 
ready, in pursuit of them, so that the governor was 
very glad to discover, by the turtler's message, 
where Rackham was to be* found. 

The two sloops, well manned, accordingly sailed 
out, and found Rackham in the station where the 
turtler had described him, but altogether in disorder, 
and quite unprepared, either for sailing or fighting, 
most of his sails being on shore, erected into tents, 
and his decks lumbered with goods. He happened 
to be on board himself, though most of his men 
were ashore, and seeing the two sloops at a distance, 
bearing towards him, he observed them with his 
glass, and fancied he saw on board something like 
preparations for fighting. This was what he did 
not expect, for he looked for no enemy, and while 
he was in doubt and suspense about them, they came 
so near that they began to fire. 

He had neither time nor means to prepare for de- 
fence, so that there was nothing to be done but to 
run into his boat, and escape to the shore, which he 
did accordingly with the few hands he had with him, 



226 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

leaving tne two women on board to be taken by the 
enemy. 

The sloops seized the Kingston, manned her, and 
brought her into Jamaica, having still a great part 
of her* cargo left. When she arrived, the master of 
her fell to examining what part of the cargo was 
lost and what left; he searched also for his bills of 
lading and cockets, but they were all destroyed by 
Rackham; so that the ship being freighted by seve- 
ral owners, the master could not tell whose property 
was saved, and whose lost, till he had fresh bills of 
parcels of each owner from England. There was 
one remarkable piece of good luck which happened 
in this affair ; there were, amongst other goods, 
sixty gold watches on board, and thirty of silver; 
the pirates divided the silver watches, but the gold 
being packed up amongst some bale goods, were 
never discovered by them, and the master, in search- 
ing, found them all safe. 

In the mean time, Rackham and his crew lived in 
the woods, in very great suspense what to do with 
themselves. They had with them ammunition and 
small arms, and also some of the goods, such as 
bales of silk stockings, and laced hats, with which, 
it is supposed, they intended to make themselves 
fine. They had also two boats and a canoe. 

Being divided in their resolutions, Rackham, with 
six more, determined to take one of the boats, and 
make the best of their way for the island of Provi- 
dence, and there claim the benefit of the king's par- 
don, which they fancied they might be entitled to, 
by representing, that they were carried away by 
Vane, against their wills. Accordingly they put 
somfc arms, ammunition, and provision, into the best 
boat, and also some of the goods, and set sail. 
They first made the Island of Pines, from thence 
got over to the north side of Cuba, where they de- 
stroyed several Spanish boats and launches; one 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 221 

they took, which being a stout sea boat, they shifted 
themselves and their cargo into her, sunk their own, 
and then stretched over to the island of Providence, 
where they landed safely about the middle of May, 
1719, where demanding the king's pardon, the go- 
vernor thought fit to allow it them, and certificates 
were granted to them accordingly. 

Here they sold their goods, and spent the money 
merrily. When all was gone, some engaged them- 
selves in privateers, and others in trading vessels. 
But Rackham, as captain, having a much larger 
share than any of the rest, his money held out a 
little longer; but happening about this time to form 
a criminal acquaintance with one Ann Bonny, a 
married woman, he became very extravagant, and 
found it necessary, to avoid detection and punish- 
ment, to abscond with his mistress. 

For this purpose they plotted together to seize a 
sloop which then lay in the harbour, and Rackham 
drew some brisk young fellows into the conspiracy. 
They were of the number of the pirates lately par- 
doned., and who, he knew, were weary of working 
on shore, and longed to be again at their old trade. 

The sloop they made choice of was between 30 
and 40 tons, and one of the swiftest sailers that ever 
was built of that kind. She belonged to one John 
Haman, who lived upon a little island not far from 
Providence, which was inhabited by no human crea- 
ture except himself and his family. His livelihood 
and constant employment was to plunder and pillage 
the Spaniards, whose sloops and launches he had 
often surprised about Cuba and Hispaniola, and 
sometimes brought off a considerable booty, always 
escaping by a good pair of heels, insomuch that it 
became a bye-word to say, there goes John Haman, 
catch him if you can. His business to Providence 
now, was to bring his family there, in order to live 
and settle, being weary, perhaps, of living in that 



228 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

solitude, or else apprehensive, if any of the Spa- 
niards should discover his habitation, they might 
land, and be revenged on him for all his pranks. 

Ann Bonny was observed to go several times on 
board this sloop. She pretended to have some busi- 
ness with John Haman; but always went when he 
was on shore, for her true errand was to discover 
bow many hands were on board, and what kind of 
watch they kept, and to know the passages and 
ways of the vessel. 

She discovered as much as was necessary. She 
found there were but two hands on board, and that 
John Haman slept on shore every night. She in- 
quired of them whether they watched ; where they 
lay ; and many other questions ; to all which they 
readily answered her, as thinking she had no design 
but common curiosity. 

She acquainted Rackham with every particular, 
who resolved to lose no time, and therefore, ac- 
quainting his associates, who were eight in number, 
they appointed an hour for meeting at night, which 
was 12 o'clock. They were all true to the roguery, 
and Ann Bonny was as punctual as the most reso- 
lute, and being all well armed, they took a boat and 
rowed to the sloop, which was very near the shore. 

The night seemed to favour the attempt, for it 
was both dark and rainy. As soon as they got on 
board, Ann Bonny, having a drawn sword in one 
hand, and a pistol in the other, attended by one of 
the men, went straight to the cabin where the two 
fellows lay who belonged to the sloop. The noise 
awaked them, which she observing, declared that if 
they pretended to resist, or make a noise, she would 
blow their brains out. 

In the mean time, Rackham and the rest were 
busy heaving in the cables, one of which they soon 
got up, and for expedition sake, they slipped the 
other, and so drove down the harbour. They passed 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 529 • 

pretty near the fort, which hailed them, as did also 
the guard-ship, asking them where they were go 
ing ] They answered, their cable had parted, and 
that they had nothing hut a grappling on board, 
which would not hold them ; immediately after 
which they set a small sail, just to give them steer- 
age way. When they came to the harbour's mouth, 
and thought they could not be seen by any of the 
ships, on account of the darkness of the night, they 
hoisted all the sail they had, and stood to sea ; then 
calling up the two men, they asked them if they 
would be of their party ; but finding them not in- 
clined, they gave them a boat to row themselves 
ashore, ordering them to give their service to Ha- 
inan, and tell him they would sendjiim his sloop 
again when they had done with her. 

Rackham and his paramour both bore a great 
spleen to Richard Turnley, who was gone from Pro- 
vidence, turtling, before' they made their escape, 
and they knowing what island he was upon, made 
to the place. They saw the sloop about a league 
from the shore, and went on board with six hands ; 
but Turnley, with his*boy, by good luck, happened 
to be ashore salting some wild hogs they had killed 
the day before. They inquired for him, and hearing 
where he was, rowed ashore in search of him. 

Turnley, from the land, saw the sloop boarded, 
and observed the men aftenvards making for the 
shore, and being apprehensive of pirates, which 
were very common in those parts, he, with his boy, 
fled into a neighbouring wood. The surf being very 
great, so that they could not bring their boat to 
shore, they waded up to the arm-pits, and Turnley, 
peeping through the trees, saw them bring arms on 
shore. Upon the whole, not liking their appearance, 
he, with his boy, lay snug in the bushes. 

When they had looked about and could not see 
hjm, they called him aloud by name ; but he net 

20 



230 John augur and others. 

appearing, they thought it time lost to look for him 
in such a wilderness, and therefore returned to their 
boat, but rowed again back to the sloop, and took 
away the sails, and several other things- They 
also carried away with them three of the hands, 
viz. Richard Connor, the mate, Johjj Davis, and 
John Howel, but rejected David Soward, the fourth 
hand, though he had been an old and experienced 
pirate, because he was lame, and disabled by a 
w r ound he had formerly received. 

When they had done thus much, they cut away 
the mast, and towing the vessel into deep water, 
sunk her, having first put David Soward into a boat 
to shift for himself. He, however, got ashore, and 
after some time, found Turnley. 

From thence, Rackham stretched over to the 
Bury Islands, plundering all the sloops he met, and 
strengthening his company with several additional 
hands, and so went on till he was finally taken and 
executed at Port Royal, Jamaica. 

About this time, the governor, in conjunction 
with some factors then reading at Providence, 
thought fit to freight some vessels for a trading 
voyage. Accordingly the Bachelor's Adventure, a 
schooner, Capt. Henry White, commander ; the 
Lancaster, sloop, Capt. William Greenway, com- 
mander ; the May, sloop, Capt. John Augur, com- 
mander, of which last David Soward was owner, 
(she having been given him by some pirates his 
former associates) in which he also sailed this voy- 
age, were fitted out with a cargo of goods and 
merchandise, bound for Port Prince, on the island 
of Cuba. 

The governor thought it advisable, for the benefit 
of the inhabitants of Providence, to settle a corres- 
pondence with some merchants of Port Prince, first, 
in order to procure fresh provisions, there being 
scarce any upon the island at the governor's first 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 231 

arrival ; and there being at Port Prince great plenty 
of cows and hogs, he proposed to get a sufficient 
number of each, to stock the island for breed, that 
the people for the future might have fresh provision 
of their own. 

They set sail on Sunday, the 5th of October, 1718. 
The next day they arrived at an island known by the 
name of Green Key, lying S. S. E. from Providence, 
in lat. 28 deg. 40 m. being distant about 25 leagues. 
Here they cast anchor, in order to wait for morning 
to carry them through some rocks and shoals which 
lay in their way, and some hands went ashore to try 
to kill something for supper before it should be. dark. 
They expected to meet some wild hogs, for some 
time before, one Joseph Bay and one Sims, put two 
sows and a boar on said island ; for thev living at 
that time at Providence, and being continually vi- 
sited by pirates, were always plundered of their 
fresh provisions, wherefore they thought of settling 
a breed upon Green Key, that they might have re- 
course to in time of necessity. 

This island is about nine miles in circumference, 
and about three miles broad in the widest place. It 
is overgrown with wild cabbage and Palmata trees, 
and has a great variety of other herbs and fruits, so 
that there is plenty of "food for the nourishment of 
such animals ; but the trees growing so close to- 
gether, makes it bad hunting, and they killed but 
one hog, which, however, was of a monstrous size. 

The hunters returned on board their ships again 
before seven, having first divided the hog, and sent 
part on board each vessel for supper that night. 
After supper, Capt. Greenway and Capt. YVhite 
came on board of Capt. Augur's sloop, in order to 
consult together what time to sail, and being all 
of opinion that if they weighed anchor between the 
hours of 10 and 11, it- would be day before they 
would come up with the shoals, they, "agreed upon 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 



that hour for setting sail, and so returned to their 
own vessels. 

Soon after, Phinehas Bunch, and Dennis Mackar- 
thy, with a great many others, came from White's 
sloop, on board of Augur's. Their pretence was, 
that they came to see Richard Turnley and Mr. 
James 'Cany who had formerly been a midshipman 
*n the Rose man of war, under Capt. Whitney, and 
^eing a great favourite of Governor Rogers, he had 
appointed him supercargo of this voyage. They 
desired to be treated with a bottle of beer, for they 
knew Mr. Carr had some that was very good in his 
care, wJhieh had been put on board, in order to 
make presents of, and to treat the Spanish mer- 
chants with. 

As it was not suspected they had any thing 
else in view, Mr. Carr readily went- down, and 
brought up a couple of bottles of beer. They sat 
upon the poop with Capt. Augur in their company, 
and were drinking their beer ; before the second 
bottle was out, Bunch and Mackarthy began to rat- 
tle, talk with great pleasure, and much boasting of 
their former exploits when they had been pirates, 
crying up a pirate's life to be the only life for a man 
of' any spirit. While they were running on in this 
manner, Bunch on a sudden started up, and swore 
he would be captain of that vessel. Augur answered 
him the vessel did not want a captain, for he was 
able to command her himself, which seemed to put 
an end to the discourse for that time. 

Soon after Bunch began to tell what bright arms 
they had on board their sloop ; upon which, one of 
\ugur's men handed up some of their cutlasses 
which had been cleaned that day. Among them 
was Mr. Carr's silver-hilted sword. Bunch seemed 
to admire the sword, and asked whose it was 1 Mr. 
Carr made answer, it belonged to him. Bunch re- 
plied it was a very handsome one, and drawing it 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 233 

out, marched about the poop, flourishing it over his 
head, and telling Mr. Carr he would return it to him 
when he had done with it. At the same time he 
began to vapour again, and to boast of his former 
piracies, and coming near Mr. Carr, struck him with 
the 3Word. Turnley bid him take care what he did, 
for Mr. Carr would not take such usage. As they 
were disputing upon this matter, Dennis Mackarthy 
stole off, and, with some of his associates, seized 
upon the great cabin, where all the arms. lay. At 
the same time several of the men began to sing a 
song with these words. Did you not promise me, 
that you would marry me — which it seems was the 
signal agreed upon among the conspirators for 
seizing the ship. Bunch no sooner heard them, but 
he cried out aloud, that I will, for I am parson, 
and struck Mr. Carr again several blows with his 
own sword. Mr. Carr and Turnley both seized hi 
and they began to struggle, when Dennis Mackar- 
thy, with several others, returned from the cabin 
with each a cutlass in one hand, and a loaded pi 
in the other, and running up to them, said, What ! 
do the governor's dogs offer to resist? And foea; 
Turnley and Carr with their cutlasses, threaten 
to shoot them, at the same time firing their pis. 
close to their cheeks; upon which Turnley and Can- 
begged their lives. 

When they were thus in possession of the vessel, 
they hailed Capt Greenway, and desired him to 
come on board about urgent business. He, knowing 
nothing of what had passed, jumped into his boat, 
and with two hands only, rowed on board. Dennis 
Mackarthy led him into the cabin, and, as soon as 
he was there, laid hold of him, telling him he was 
now a prisoner, and must submit. He offered to 
make some resistance ; upon which, they told him 
all resistance would be vain, for his own men were 
in the plot ; and, indeed, seeing the two hands who 

20* 



234 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

rowed him aboard, now armed, and joining with the 
conspirators, he thought it was time to submit. 

As soon as this was done, they sent some fyands 
on board to seize his sloop, or rather to acquaint his 
men with what had been done, for they expected 
to meet with no resistance, many of them being in 
the plot, and the rest, they supposed, not very 
averse to it ; after which, they decoyed Captain 
White on board, by the same stratagem they used 
with Greenway, and likewise sent on board his sloop 7 
and found his men, one and all, well disposed for the 
design ; and what was most remarkable was, that 
Captain Augur, seeing how things were going, 
joined with them, showing himself as well inclined 
for pirating as the worst of them. 

Thus they made themselves masters of the three 
vessels with very little trouble. The next thing to 
be done was to resolve how to dispose of those who 
were not of their party. Some we ^ for killing 
Richard Turnley, but the majority carried it for 
marooning, that he might be starved, and die like a 
dog, as they called it. Their great spleen to him 
was, because he was the person who had piloted the 
governor into Providence. 

Accordingly, Turnley, with John Carr, Thomas 
Rich, and some others, were stripped naked, and 
tumbled over the vessel's side into a boat which lay 
along side. The oars were all taken out, and they 
left them nothing to work themselves ashore with 
but an old paddle, which, at other times, served to 
steer the boat, and so they commanded them to be 
gone. However, they made shift to get safe ashore 
on the island, which, as we observed before, was 
quite uninhabited. 

The next morning Dennis Mackarthy, with seve- 
ral others, went on shore, and told them they must 
come on board again, and they would give them 
some clothes to put on. They fancied the pirates 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 235 

began to repent of the hard usage they had given 
them, and were willing to return upon such an er- 
rand ; but when they got on board again, they found 
their opinion of the pirates' good nature was very ill 
grounded, for they began with beating them, and 
did it as if it were in sport, one having a boatswain's 
pipe, the rest beating them till he piped belay. 

The true design of bringing them on board again, 
was to make them discover where some things lay, 
which they could not readily find, particularly Mr. 
Carr's watch and silver snuff-box ; but. he was soon 
obliged to inform them in what corner of the cabin 
they were, and there they were found, with some 
journals and other books, which they knew how to 
make no other use of than turning them into car- 
tridges. Then they began to question Thomas Rich 
about a gold watch which had once been seen in his 
possession on shore at Providence; but he protested 
that it belonged to Capt. Gale, who was commander 
of the guard-ship called theDelieia, to which he 
then belonged; but his protestations would have 
availed him little, had it not been that some on 
board, who belonged also to the Delicia, knew it to 
be true, which put an end to his beating; and so 
they were all discharged from their punishment for 
the present. 

Some time after, fancying the pirates to be in bet- 
ter humour, they begged for something to eat, for 
they had none of them had any nourishment that 
day or the night before ; but all the answer they 
received was, that such dogs should not ask such 
questions. In the mean time, some of the pirates 
were very busy endeavouring to persuade Captain 
Greenway to engage with them, for they knew him 
to be an excellent artist ; but he was obstinate and 
would not. Then it was proposed to maroon him, 
which was opposed by some, because he was a Ber- 
mudian, meaning, that he might perhaps swim away, 



236 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

or swim on board his vessel again, for the Bermu- 
dians are all excellent swimmers ; but as he repre- 
sented, that he could not hurt them by his swim- 
ming, he obtained the favour for himself and the 
other officers, to be set ashore with Turnley, Carr, 
and Rich. Accordingly, they were put into the 
same boat without oars, to the number of eight, 
and were ordered to make the best of their way on 
shore. 

The pirates, the next day, having examined all 
their vessels, and finding that Greenway's sloop was 
not fit for their purpose, shifted every thing out of 
her. Those that were sent on shore could see from 
thence what they were doing, and when they saw 
them row off, Greenway swam on board the sloop, 
it is likely, to see whether they had left any thing 
behind them. They perceived him, and fancied he 
repented refusing to join with them, and had come 
to do it now ; wherefore some of them returned 
back to the sloop, to speak to him, but they found 
him of the same opinion he was in before. How- 
ever, he -wheedled them into so much good humour, 
that they told him he might have his sloop again, in 
which, indeed, they had left nothing except an old 
main-sail, an old fore-sail, four small pieces of Irish 
beef, in an old beef barrel, and about twenty bis- 
cuits, with a broken bucket which was used to draw 
water in, telling him that he and the rest must not 
go on board till they had sailed. 

Greenway swam ashore again to give notice to 
his brothers in distress, of what had passed. The 
same afternoon Bunch with several others went on 
shore, carrying with them six bottles of wine and 
some biscuits. Whether this was done to tempt 
Greenway again, or no, is hard to say ; for though 
they talked to him a great deal, they drank all the 
wine themselves to the last bottle, and then gave 
each of the poor creatures a glass a-piece, with a bit 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 237 

of biscuit, and immediately after fell to beating them, 
and so went on board. 

While they were on shore, there came in a tur- 
tler which belonged to one Thomas Bennet, of Pro- 
vidence, whereof one Benjamin Hutchins was mas- 
ter. They soon laid hold of her, for she sailed 
excellently well. Hutchins was reputed an extra- 
ordinary good pilot among those islands ; wherefore 
they tempted him to engage with them ; at first he 
refused, but rather than be marooned, he afterwards 
consented. 

It was now the 9th of October, and they were just 
preparing to sail, when they sent on shore, ordering 
the condemned malefactors to come on board Green- 
way's sloop, the Lancaster, They did so in the lit- 
tle, boat they went on shore in, by the help of the 
same paddle. They found several of the pirates 
there, who told them that they gave them that sloop 
to return to Providence, though they let them have 
no more stores, than what were named before. They 
bade them take the foresail, and bend it for a jib, 
and furl it close down to the bowsprit, and to furl 
the mainsail close up to the boom. They did as 
they were ordered, for they knew there was no dis- 
puting whether it was right or wrong. 

Soon after, another detachment came on board, 
among whom were Bunch and Dennis Mackarthy, 
who being either mad or drunk, fell upon them, 
beating them, and cutting the rigging and sails to 
pieces- with their cutlasses, and commanding them 
not to sail, till they should hear from them again, 
threatening if they did, they would put them all to 
death, if ever they met them again ; and so they 
went off, carrying with them the boat, which they 
sent them first ashore in, and sailed away. 

They left them in this miserable condition, with- 
out tackle to go their voyage, and without a boat to 
get on shore, and having nothing in view but .to 



238 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

perish for want ; but as self preservation put them 
upon exerting themselves, in order to get out of this 
deplorable state, they began to rummage and search 
the vessel through every hole and corner, to see if 
nothing was left which might be of use to them ; 
and it happened by chance that they found an old 
hatchet, with which they cut some sticks sharp to 
serve for marling-spikes. They also cut out several 
other things, to serve instead of such tools as are 
absolutely necessary on board a ship. 

When they had proceeded thus far, every man 
began to work as hard as he could; they cut a piece 
of cable, which they strung into rope yarns, and fell 
to mending their sails with all possible expedition ; 
they also made a kind of fishing lines of rope yarns, 
and bent some nails crooked to serve for hooks ; but 
as they were destitute of a boat, as well for the use 
of fishing as for going on shore, they resolved to 
make a bark log, that is, to lay two or three logs 
together, and lash them close, upon which two or 
three men may sit very safely in smooth water. 

As soon as this was done, some hands went on 
shore, upon one of the logs (for they made two of 
them) who employed themselves in cutting wild 
cabbage, gathering berries, and a fruit which the 
seamen call prickly pears, for food, while some 
others went a fishing upon another. Those who 
went ashore also carried the old bucket with them, 
so that whilst some were busy in gathering things 
to serve for provision, one hand was constantly 
employed in bringing fresh water aboard in the 
bucket, which was tedious work, censidering how 
little could be brought at a time* and that the sloop 
lay near a mile from the shore. 

When they had employed themselves thus, for 
about four or five days, they brought their sails and 
tackle into such order, having also a little water, 
cabbage and other things on board, that they thought 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 130 

it was time to venture to sail. Accordingly they 
weighed their anchor, and setting all the sail they 
had, got out to the harbour's mouth, when to their 
great terror and surprise, they saw the pirates com- 
ing in again; 

They were much frightened at this unexpected 
return, because of the threatening^ they had used 
to them at parting, not to sail without further or^ 
ders ; wherefore, they tacked about, and ran as close 
in to the shore as they could, then throwing out their 
bark logs, they all put themselves upon them, and 
made to land, as fast as they could ; but before they 
quite reached it, the pirates got so near that they 
fired at them, but were too far to do execution. 
However, they pursued them ashore ; the unhappy 
exiles immediately took to the woods, and for greater 
security climbed up some trees, whose branches 
were very thick, and by that means concealed them- 
selves. The pirates not firming them, soon returned 
to their boat, and rowed on board the deserted sloop, 
whose mast and bowsprit they cut away, and tow- 
ing into deep water, sunk her ;. after which, they 
made again for shore, thinking that the fugitives 
would have been out of their lurking holes, and that 
they should surprise them ; but they continued still 
on the tops of the trees and saw all that passed, and 
therefore thought it safest to keep their posts. 

The pirates not finding them, returned to their 
vessels, and weighing their anchors, set sail, steer- 
ing eastward. In the mean time, the poor fellows 
were in despair, for seeing their vessel sunk, they 
had scarce any hopes left of escaping the danger of 
perishing upon that uninhabited island, where they 
lived eight days, feeding upon berries, and shell-fish, 
such as cockles and perriwinkles, sometimes catch- 
ing a stingrey, a fish resembling mead or thornback, 
which coming into shoal w T ater, they could wade 
near them, and by the help of a stick sharpened at 



240 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

the end, which they did by rubbing it against the 
rocks, (for they had not a knife left among them) 
they stuck them as if it had been with a spear. 

It must be observed, that they had no means of 
striking a fire, and therefore their way of dressing 
this fish was, by dipping it in salt water, then laying 
it in the sun, till it became both hard and dry, and 
then they ate it. 

After passing eight days in this manner, the pirates 
returned, and saw the poor fugitives ashore, who ac- 
cording to custom made to the woods ; but their 
hearts began to relent towards them, and sending 
ashore, they ordered a man to go into the woods 
single, to call out to them, and promise them upon 
their honour, if they would appear, that they would 
give them victuals and drink, and not use them ill 
any more. 

These promises, and the hunger which pinched 
them, tempted them to come forth, and accordingly 
they went on board, and they were as good as their 
word, for they gave them as much beef and biscuit 
as they could eat, during two or three days they 
were on board, but would not give them a bit to 
carry on shore. 

There was on boai^d one George Redding, an in- 
habitant of Providence, who was taken out of the 
turtle sloop, and who was a forced man. Being an 
acquaintance of Richard Turnley, and knowing that 
he was resolved to go shore again, rather than en- 
gage with the pirates, and hearing him say, that 
they could find food to keep them alive, if they had 
but fire to dress it, privately gave him a tinder box, 
with materials in it for striking fire, which, in his cir- 
cumstances, was a greater present than gold or 
jewels. Soon after, the pirates put the question 
to them, whether they would engage, or be put 
ashore ? And. they all agreed upon the latter : upon 
which a debate arose among the pirates, whether 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 241 

they should comply with their request or not ; and 
at length it was agreed, that Greenway and the 
other two masters should be kept whether they 
would or no ; and the rest, being five in number, 
should, as the pirates expressed it, have a second 
refreshment on the varieties of the island. 

Accordingly Richard Turnley, James Carr, Tho- 
mas Rich, John Cox, and John Taylor, were a 
second time marooned, and the pirates, as soon as 
they landed them, sailed off, steering eastward, till 
they came to an island called Pudden Point, near 
Long-Island, in lat. 24 degrees, where they cleaned 
their vessels. 

In the mean time, Turnley and his companions 
made a much better shift than they had done before, 
his friend Redding's present being of infinite use to 
them, for they constantly kept a good fire, with 
which they broiled their fish. There were plenty 
of land crabs and snakes on the island, which they 
could ^eat when they were dressed. Thus they 
passed fourteen days ; at the end of which the 
pirates made them another visit, and they accord- 
ing to custom made for the woods, thinking that the 
reason of their return must be, in order to force 
them to serve amongst them. But here they were 
mistaken, for the anger of these fellows being over, 
they began to pity them ; but going ashore, and 
not finding them, they knew they were hid for 
fear. Nevertheless, they left upon the shore, where 
they knew they would come, some stores which 
they intended in this fit of good humour to present 
them with. 

The poor islanders had got to their retreat, the 
tops of the trees, and saw the pirates go off; upon 
which they ventured down, ancl going to the water 
side, were agreeably surprised to find & small cask 
of flour, of between twenty and thirty pounds, about 
a bushel of salt, two bottles of gun powder, several 

21 



242 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

bullets, besides a quantity of small shot, with a 
couple of muskets, a very good axe, and also a pot 
and a pan, and three dogs, which they took in the 
turtle sloop ; which dogs are bred to hunting, and 
generally the sloops which go turtling, carry some 
of them, as they are very useful in tracing out the 
wild hogs. Besides all these, there were a dozen 
horn handled knives, of that sort which are usually 
carried to Guinea. 

They carried all things into the woods, to that 
part where they had their fresh water, and where 
they usually kept, and immediately went to work 
with their axe ; some cutting down bows, and mak- 
ing poles, so that four of them were employed in 
building a hut, while Richard Turnley taking the 
dogs and a gun, went a hunting, he understanding 
that sport very well. He had not been gone long 
before he killed a large boar, which he brought 
home to his companions, who fell to cutting it up, 
and some they dressed for their dinner, and the rest 
they salted, for another time. 

Thus they lived, as they thought, very happy in 
respect to their former condition ; but after a few 
day3, the pirates made them another visit, for they 
wanted to fill some casks with water. It happened 
when they came in, that Turnley was gone a hunt- 
ing, and the rest all busy at work, so that they did 
not see them, till they came into the wood upon 
them. Seeing the hut, one of them in wantonness 
set it on fire, and it was burnt to the ground ; and 
they appeared inclined to do mischief, when Richard 
Turnley, knowing nothing of the matter, happened 
to return from hunting, with a fine hog upon his 
back, as much as he could carry. He was imme- 
diately surrounded by the pirates, who seized upon 
the fresh tneat, which seemed to put them into bet- 
ter humour. They made Richard Cox carry it down 
,to their boat, and when he had done, they gave him 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 248 

a bottle of rum to carry back to his companions to 
drink their healths, telling him, that they might get 
home if they could, or if they stayed there, they 
would never trouble them any more. 

They were, indeed as good as their word, for 
sailing away immediately, they made for Long- 
Island, and coming up toward the salt ponds there, 
they saw at a distance in the harbour, three vessels 
at an anchor, and supposing them to be either Ber- 
muda or New-York sloops, lying there to take in 
salt, they bore down upon them with all the sail 
they could make, expecting a good booty. The turtle 
sloop taken from Benjamin Hutchins, was by much 
the best sailer ; however, it was almost dark before 
she came up with them, and then coming close 
along side of one of them, she gave a broadside, with 
a design to board the next minute, but received 
such a volley of small shot in return, as killed and 
wounded a great many of the pirates, and the rest, 
in great surprise and fright, jumped overboard, to 
save themselves by swimming ashore. 

The truth is, these sloops proved to be Spanish pri- 
vateers, who observing the pirates to bear down upon 
them, prepared themselves for action. The com- 
mander in chief of these three privateers was one 
who was called by the name of Turn Joe, because he 
had once privateered on the English side. He had also 
been a pirate, and now acted by virtue of a commis- 
sion from a Spanish governor. He was by birth an 
Irishman, a bold enterprising fellow, and was after- 
wards killed in an engagement with one John Bon- 
navee captain of a privateer belonging to Jamaica. 

But to return to our story. The sloop was taken, 
and on board her was found, desperately wounded, 
Phineas Bunch, who was the captain. By and by a 
second of the pirate sloops came up ; she heard the 
volley, and supposed it to be fired by Bunch, when he 
boarded one of the sloops ; she came also along side 



244 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

75f one of the Spaniards, and received the welcome 
that was given to Bunch, and submitted as soon. A 
little after, came up the third, which was taken with 
the same ease, and in the same manner, as many 
of the pirates as could swim, jumping overboard to 
save themselves on shore, there not being a man lost 
on the side of the Spaniards. 

The next day Turn Joe asked them many questions, 
and finding out that several amongst them had been 
forced men, he with the consent of the other Spa- 
nish officers, ordered all the goods to be taken out of 
a Spanish launch, and putting some of the wounded 
pirates into the said launch, with some' provision, 
water, and other liquors, gave it to the forced men, 
to carry them to Providence. 

Accordingly George Redding, Thomas Betty, 
Matthew Betty, and Benjamin Hutchins, with some 
others, set sail, and in eight-and-forty hours arrived 
in the harbour of Providence. They went on shore 
immediately, and acquainted the governor with 
every thing that had passed, from the time of their 
setting out ; informing him, that Phineas Bunch, 
who was one of the chief authors of all the mischief, 
was on board the launch. The governor, with 
some others, went and examined him, and he con- 
fessed all, wherefore there was no occasion for a 
trial ; and as he had been pardoned before, and it 
was necessary to make some speedy example, it 
was resolved that he should be executed the next 
day, but it was prevented by his dying that night of 
his wounds. 

They also informed the governor of the condition 
of Turnley, Carr, and the rest, who were marooned 
by the pirates upon Green Key Island ; upon which 
the governor sent for one John Sims, a mulatto man, 
who had a two-mast boat in the harbour of Provi- 
dence, very fit for sailing ; and putting some provi- 
sions into her, ordered him to get five or six hands. 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 245 

and to sail for Green Key, in order to bring off the 
five men there marooned. 

Sims accordingly made the best of his way, and 
sailing out in the morning, arrived at Green Key 
the next day towards evening. The poor people 
on shore saw them, and supposing them to be some 
of the pirates returned, thought it best to take to 
the woods and hide, not knowing what humour 
they might be in now, Sims and his ship-mates 
carried some provision on shore, not knowing but 
they might want, and searched about, calling out to 
them by their names. After wandering about some 
time, they came to the place where the fire was 
constantly kept ; on perceiving which, they fancied 
they must be thereabouts, and that it would be best 
to wait for them there, and accordingly they sat 
down, laying the provisions near them. Turnley, 
who had climbed to the top of a tree just by, saw 
them, and observed their motions, and fancied they 
were no enemies who were bringing them provi- 
sions, and looking more earnestly, he knew Sims, 
the mulatto, whom he was very well acquainted 
with at Providence ; upon which he called him, who 
desired him to come down, telling him the com- 
fortable news, that he was come to the relief of him 
and his companions. Turnley made what haste he 
could to the bottom, and as soon as he was down, 
summoned his comrades, who had climbed to the 
top of some neighbouring trees, being in haste to 
communicate the glad tidings to them. Being all 
together, the mulatto related to them the history 
of what had happened to the pirates. 

That night they supped comfortably together 
upon the provision brought ashore ; but so strange 
an effect has joy, that scarce one of them slept a 
wink that night, as they declared. The next day 
they agreed to go a hunting, in order to get some- 
thing fresh to carry off with them, and were so 

21* 



246 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS,. 

successful, that they killed three fine hogs. When 
they returned, they made the best of their way on 
board, carrying with them all their utensils, and set 
sail for Providence, whither they arrived in three 
days ; it being now just seven weeks from the time 
of their being first set on shore by the pirates. 

The governor, in the mean time, was fitting out a 
sloop to send to Long-Island, in order to take those 
pirates who had saved themselves near the salt 
ponds there, which sloop was now ready to sail, and 
put under the command of Benjamin Hornygold. 
Turnley and his companions embarked on board of 
her, and care was taken to get as many men as 
they could, who were entire strangers to the pirates. 

When they arrived at the said island, they run in 
pretty near the shore, keeping but few hands on 
deck, that it might look like a trading vessel, and 
those men that were quite unknown to the pirates. 

The pirates seeing them, came only two or three 
of them near the shore, the rest lying in ambush, 
not without hopes of finding an opportunity to seize 
the sloop, which sent her boat out towards the 
shore, with orders to lay off at a little distance, as if 
she was afraid. Those in ambush seeing the boat 
so near, had not patience to stay any longer, but 
flocked to the water side, calling out to them tQ 
come on shore, and help them, for they were poor 
shipwrecked men, perishing for want. Upon which 
the boat rowed back again to the sloop. 

Upon second thoughts they sent her off again 
with two bottles of wine, a bottle of rum, and some 
biscuit, and sent another man, who was a stranger 
to those ashore, with orders to pass for master ol 
the vessel. As soon as they approached them, the 
pirates called to them as before, begging them, for 
God's sake -to come on shore ; they did so, and gave 
them the biscuit, wine, and rum, which he said he 
brought ashore on purpose to comfort them, because 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 247 

his men told him they were cast away. They were 
very inquisitive to know where he was bound. He 
told them, to New-York, and that he came in there 
to take in salt. They earnestly entreated him to 
take them on board, and carry them as passengers 
to New-York; they being about sixteen in number, 
he answered, he was afraid he had not provision 
sufficient for so great a number ; but that he would 
go on board and overhaul his provision, and if they 
pleased, some of them might go with him, and see 
how his stock stood; that at least he would carry 
some of them, and leave some refreshment for the 
rest, till they could be succoured another way, but 
that he hoped they would make him some recom- 
pense when they should arrive at New-York. 

They seemed wonderfully pleased with his pro- 
posal, and promised to make him ample satisfaction 
for all the charges he should be at, pretending to 
have good friends and considerable effects in dif- 
ferent parts of America. Accordingly he took seve- 
ral of them with him in the boat, and as soon as 
they got on board he invited them into the cabin, 
where, to their surprise, they saw Benjamin Horny- 
gold, formerly a brother pirate ; but what astonished 
them more, was to see Richard Turnley, whom they 
had lately marooned upon Green Key.' They were 
immediately surrounded by several with pistols in 
their hands, and clapped in irons. 

As soon as this was over, the boat went on shore 
again, and those in the boat told the pirates, that the 
captain would venture to carry them with what pro- 
vision he had; at which they appeared much re- 
joiced, and so the rest were brought on board, and 
without much trouble clapped in irons, as well as 
their companions. 

The sloop had nothing more to do, and therefore 
set sail, and reaching Providence, delivered the pi- 
rates all prisoners into the fort. A Court of Admi- 



248 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

ralty was immediately called, and they were all 
tried, and nine received sentence of death, viz. 
John Augur, William Cunningham, Dennis Mackar- 
thy, William Dowling, William Lewis, Thomas Mor- 
ris, George Bendall, Wiiliam Ling, and George 
Rounsivel, which last was finally reprieved and par- 
doned. The other seven were acquitted, it appear- 
ing that they were forced. 

The following is the sentence pronounced upon 
the prisoners : — 

THE COURT having duly considered of the evi- 
dence which hath been given both for and against 
you the said John Augur, William Cunningham, 
Dennis Mackarthy, William Dowling, William Lew- 
is, Thomas Morris, George Bendall, William Ling, 
and George Rounsivel ; and having also debated the 
several circumstances of the cases, it is adjudged, 
that you the said John Augur, William Cunningham,, 
Dennis Mackarthy, William Dowling, William Lew- 
is, Thomas Morris, George Bendall, William Ling, 
and George Rounsivel, are guilty of the mutiny, 
felony, and piracy, wherewith you and every of you 
stand accused. And the Court doth accordingly 
pass sentence, that you the said John Augur, Wil- 
liam Cunningham, Dennis Mackarthy, William Dow- 
ling, William Lewis, Thomas Morris, George Ben- 
dall, William Ling, and George Rounsivel, be car- 
ried to prison from whence you came, and from 
thence to the place of execution, where you are to 
be hanged by the neck till you shall be dead, dead, 
dead ; and God have mercy on your souls. Given 
under our hands this 10th day of December, A. D. 
1718. (Signed) 

Woodes Rogers, Wingate Gale, 

William Fairfax, Nathaniel Taylor, 

Robert Beauchamp, Josias Burgiss, 
Thomas Walker, Peter CouranL 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 249 

After sentence was passed upon the prisoners, 
the governor, as president of the court, appointed 
their execution to be on Friday next, the 12th inst. 
at 10 o'clock in the morning. 

Whereupon the prisoners prayed for longer time 
to repent and prepare for death ; but the governor 
told them, that from the time of their being appre- 
hended, they ought to have accounted themselves 
as condemned by the laws of all nations, which was 
only sealed now , and that the securing them hither- 
to, and the favour that the Court had allowed them 
in making as long a defence as they could, wholly 
took up that time which the affairs of the settle- 
ment required in working at the fortifications; be- 
sides the fatigue thereby occasioned to the whole 
garrison in the necessary guards, set over them by 
the want of a gaol, and the garrison having been 
very much reduced by sickness and death since his 
arrival; also, that he was obliged to employ all his 
people to assist in mounting the great guns, and in 
finishing the present works, with all possible des- 
patch, on account of the expected war with Spain; 
and there being many more pirates amongst these 
islands, and this place left destitute of all relief from 
any man of war or station ship, joined to other rea- 
sons, too long to enumerate in court, he thought 
himself indispensably obliged, for the welfare of 
the settlement, to give them no longer time. 

The prisoners were then ordered to the place of 
their imprisonment in the fort, where leave was 
given them to send for any persons to read and 
pray with them. 

On Friday morning each of the prisoners was 
called in private, to know if they had any load upon 
their spirits, for actions committed as yet unknown 
to the world, the declaring of which was absolutely 
required to prepare themselves for a fit repentance ; 
but they each refused to declare any thing, as well 



250 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

as making known to the governor* if they knew of 
any conspiracy against the government. 

Wherefore, about 10 o'clock, the prisoners were 
released from their irons, and committed to the 
charge and care of Thomas Robinson, Esq. com- 
missioned Provost Marshal for the day, who, accord- 
ing to custom in such cases, pinioned them, &c. and 
ordered the guards appointed to assist him, to lead 
them to the top of the rampart, fronting the sea, 
which was well guarded by the governor's soldiers 
and people, to the number of about 100. At the 
prisoners' request, several select prayers and psalms 
were read, in which all present joined. When the 
service was ended, orders were given to the Mar- 
shal, and he conducted the prisoners down a ladder, 
provided on purpose, to the foot of the wall, where 
a gallows was erected, and a black flag hoisted 
thereon, and under it a stage, supported by three 
butts, on which they ascended by another ladder, 
where the hangman fastened the cords. They had 
three-quarters of an hour allowed under the gal- 
lows, which was spent by them in singing psalms, 
and some exhortations to their old consorts, and the 
other spectators, who got as near to the foot of the 
gallows as the marshal's guard would suffer them. 
When the-marshal was ordered to make ready, and 
all the prisoners expected the launch, the governor 
thought fit to order George Rounsivel to be untied, 
and w r hen brought off the stage, the butts having 
ropes about them, were hauled away; upon which, 
the stage fell, and the prisoners were suspended. 

A Short Account of the Prisoners Executed. 

First, John Augur, being about 40 years of age, 
had been a noted shipmaster at Jamaica, and since 
among the pirates ; but on his accepting of His Ma- 
jesty's act of grace, and recommendations to the 



JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 251 

governor, he was, notwithstanding, entrusted with 
a good vessel and cargo, in which, betraying his 
trust, and knowing himself guilty of the indictment, 
he all along appeared very penitent, and neither 
washed, shaved, or shifted his old clothes, when car- 
ried to be executed; and when he had a small glass 
of wine given him on the rampart, drank it with 
wishes for the good success of the Bahama Islands, 
and the governor. 

The second, William Cunningham, aged 45, had 
been gunner with Thatch, the pirate, who, being 
also conscious of his own guilt, was seemingly peni- 
tent, and behaved himself as such. 

The third, Dennis Mackarthy, aged 28, had also 
been formerly a pirate, but accepted of the king's 
act of grace ; and the governor had made him an 
ensign of the militia, being recommended as a sober, 
discreet person, which commission he had at the 
time of his joining, the pirates, which very much 
aggravated his other crimes. During his imprison- 
ment, he behaved himself tolerably well ; but when 
he thought he was to die, and the morning came, 
without his expected reprieve, he shifted his clothes, 
and wore long blue ribands at his neck, wrists, 
knees, and cap ; and when on the rampart, looked 
cheerfully round him, saying, He knew the time 
when there were many brave fellows on the island, 
who would not have suffered him to die like a dog ; 
and at the same time pulled off his shoes, kicking 
them over the parapet of the fort, saying, He had 
promised not to die with' his shoes on; so descended 
the fort wall, and ascended the stage, with the agili- 
ty and address of a prize-fighter. When mounted, 
he exhorted the people, who were at the foot of the 
walls, to have compassion on him; but, however 
willing, they saw too much power over their heads 
to attempt any thing in his favour^ 



552 JOHN AUGUR AND OTHERS. 

The fourth, William Dowling, about 24 years of 
age, had been a considerable time among the pi- 
rates, of a wicked life, which His Majesty's act of 
grace did not reform. His behaviour was very loose 
on the stage, and after his death, some of his ac- 
quaintance declared, he had confessed to them, that 
he had murdered his mother before he left Ireland. 

The fifth, William Lewis, aged about 34 years, as' 
he had been a hardy pirate and prize-fighter, affected 
an unconcern at death; but heartily desired liquors 
to drink with his fellow-sufferers on the stage, and 
with the standers by. 

The sixth, Thomas Morris, aged about 22, had 
been a very incorrigible youth and pirate, and 
seemed to have very little anxiety of mind by his 
frequent smiles when at the bar. Being dressed 
with red ribands, as Mackarthy was with blue, he 
said, going over the ramparts, We have a new go- 
vernor, but a harsh one; and a little before he was 
turned off, said aloud, he might have been a greater 
plague to these islands, and now he wished he had 
been so. 

The seventh, George Bendall, aged 18, though 
he said, he had never been a pirate before, yet he had, 
all the viUanous inclinations the most profligate 
youth could be infected with. His behaviour was 
sullen. 

The eighth, William Ling, aged about 30, not 
taken notice" of before the last attempt, behaved 
himself as became a true penitent, and was not 
heard to say any thing besides replying to Lewis, 
when he demanded wine to drink, that water was 
more suitable to them at that time. 

It was observed that there were but few (besides 
the governor's adherents) among the spectators,- 
who had not deserved the same fate, but pardoned 
by His Majesty's act of grace. 



CORRECT ACCOUNT 

OF THE 

IiATE PIRACIES 

COMMITTED IN THE WEST-INDIES; 

AND 
THE EXPEDITION OF 

COMMODORE PORTER. 

22 



THE public mind has been much agitated by the 
depredations of these enemies of all laws, human 
and divine. It is strange, that in this enlightened 
age, when the principles of civil liberty are so well 
understood, and when the doctrines of the rights of 
man are gaining so many adherents both in this 
country and in Europe, that there. should be found 
men so lost to every good principle, as to pursue 
such a predatory warfare against defenceless peo- 
ple ; and with the slightest pretext, butcher those 
unfortunate fellow creatures who may fall in their 
way. And it is no less astonishing, as piracy does 
exist, that all civilized governments have not com- 
bined to suppress this horrid practice, and teach 
these refractory and deluded men, that the arm of 
justice is not shortened, nor the rulers of the earth 
asleep. 

Our government has taken a forward step to ar- 
rest these free-booters in their blood-thirsty pro- 
jects, and no doubt the expedition which was under 
the command of that gallant officer, Commodore 
Porter, has done much towards putting down this 
nefarious practice in the West-India seas. 



PIRACIES, &c. 



MUTINY ON BOARD THE BRITISH SHIP KATE. 



The crew, 8 in number, of the ship Kate, Captain 
Purdy, landed in the island of Guadaloupe, on the 
24th "of January, 1821. They slept on the beach 
that night, and next morning a planter in the neigh- 
bourhood came to them, and brought them to his 
house. Their story was uniform, all said they be- 
longed to the American ship Retrieve, Capt. Jacob 
Hawes, belonging to Messrs. Suydam & Wyckoff, 
merchants, of New-York ; that after 6 weeks boist- 
erous weather, not being able to keep the ship 
free, she being very leaky, the Captain had given 
orders to get the boat in readiness, and that they 
were doing it, and getting into the boat about 10 
o'clock at night, when the Captain's son, about 10 
years old, fell overboard in trying to get into the 
boat, and that the Captain threw himself into the 
sea to save him, but both perished, and the ship 
went down ; that after one night and two days in 
the boat, they reached the beach near the Mole, 
with great hazard of their lives. 

They were afterwards escorted to Point Petre, 
where they were examined by the Judge, and per- 
sisted in the same story; except one French lad, 
who privately disclosed 'the truth to the attorney- 
general. 



256 PIRACIES IN THE 

They had with them all their baggage, and con* 
siderable money. Among the baggage was a Bible, 
with the label, " Presented by the Merchants' Sea- 
men Auxiliary Bible Society, to the ship Kate, of 
London— Gravesend, 11th May, 1818." This, the 
mate, Thomas Murdock, said was given to him by a 
fellow lodger in New-York. The Judge, however, 
availed himself of this circumstance to interrogate 
them a second time. Calling on Murdock, he said — 
"There is the Bible belonging to the .ship Kate, of 
London, Capt. George Purdy, and upon that very 
same Bible you swear to tell the truth, and nothing 
but the truth." Murdock, much embarrassed, said 
m broken words, that he was not accustomed to 
swear on the Bible, and resisted some time, when 
the Judge observed to him, that if he would not an- 
swer to the questions, he would pronounce him guilty 
immediately; for to refuse answering the questions 
of the Court was declaring himself guilty. Murdock 
then kissed the Bible. " Since I have taken an oath, 
(said he,) on the Bible, I will speak the truth," and 
related the real story, in substance — 

" That they belonged to the ship Kate, of London, 
Capt. George Purdy, which ship had been chartered 
in August last, at Halifax, for a voyage to Berbice 
and back to Halifax. The ship took a cargo of fish, 
beef, and some lumber. They reached Berbice, 
where the cargo was sold for cash. The proceeds 
were put on board in two boxes iron hooped, con- 
taining 5600 dollars. The ship sailed for Halifax in 
ballast. The mate had been discharged at Berbice, 
after having some quarrel with the Captain. Six 
weeks after sailing, finding constant head winds, and 
in want of provisions, the water nearly consumed, 
the crew asked the Captain what he intended to do — 
the Captain told them, he had still some coffee which 
he would give them for their support, and that he 
would try to get to Bermuda ; .but after 24 hours, 



WEST-INDIES. 257 

the winds against them, they tried for New-York, but 
without success. On the morning of the 8th of Ja- 
nuary, three of the crew went and seized the Cap- 
tain, as he was walking on the deck, and tied him. 
They said that he and those that lived in the cabin, 
must either jump overboard, or go into the jolly 
boat along side. They then embarked the Captain, 
who wished and asked to go into the cabin for his 
cloak and boots, but he was not allowed. They 
begged earnestly for a compass ; his lady also went 
on her knees and begged for a coxjppass, but this 
was refused also. His lady with their two children, 
one a boy two years old, the other a girl four years 
old, Mr. Robert Meredith, a passenger, and a mu- 
latto boy named William, steward in the cabin, 
were then forced into the boat, with 20 lbs/of bread, 
two trunks of the Captain's and Mr. Meredith's 
trunks and two oars, were sent adrift. The crew 
were ignorant of their then latitude. After ten 
days sailing for the West-Indies, Deseada was the 
first land he made. They had rigged the long boat 
as a sloop, put in their baggage and money, which 
had been equally divided among them, excepting 
the two lads, who had a share between them, when 
two of the crew went below and scuttled the ship.' 5 
Afterwards the rest of the crew confessed their 
crime. About 1400 dollars were found and lodged 
at the Register's office — Murdock said he buried in 
the yard of the tavern at the Mole 450 dollars, but 
the money could not be found. He had an Ame- 
rican protection, said he was born in New-Bruns- 
wick, (N. J.) and had papers from the grand and 
private lodges of New-York. The cook was a ne- 
gro, from Philadelphia, from whence he went in a 
schooner to Halifax ; his name was Philip Fisher ; 
he stuttered. One was a French lad ; one a Lon- 
don boy, one Welshman, an Irishman, and two 
Scotchmen. 

22* 






£53 PIRACIES IN THE 



LIST OF ATROCIOUS PIRACIES AND BARBARITIES. 



BOSTON, NOV. 6, 1821. 

The brig Cobbessecontee, Capt. Jackson, arrived 
yesterday from the Havana, sailed thence on the 
morning of the 8th ult. and on the evening of the 
same day, about four miles from the Moro, was 
brought to by a piratical sloop, containing about 30 
men. A boat from her, with ten men, came along 
side, and soon after they got on board commenced 
plundering. They took nearly all the clothing from 
the Captain and mate — all the cooking utensils and 
spare rigging — unrove part of the running rigging — 
cut the small cable — broke the compasses — cut the 
mast's coats to pieces — took from the Captain his 
watch and four boxes cigars — -and from the cargo 
three bales cochineal and six boxes cigars. They 
beat the mate unmercifully, and hung him up by the 
neck under the maintop. They also beat the Cap- 
tain severely — broke a large broad sword across 
his back, and ran a long knife through his thigh, so 
that he almost bled to death. Capt. Jackson saw 
the sloop at Regla the day before. 

Capt. Jackson informs us, and we have also beeir 
informed by other persons from the Havana, that 
this system of Piracy is openly countenanced by 
some of the inhabitants of that place — who say that 
it is a retaliation on the Americans for interfering 
against the Slave Trade, and for allowing Patriot 
privateers to refit in their ports. The pirates, 
therefore, receiving such countenance, grow more 
daring — and increase in number from the success 
which has attended this new mode of filling their 
pockets. 



WEST-INDIES. 25& 

Capt. Bugnon, who arrived yesterday from Charles- 
ton, spoke on the 2d inst. off the S. Shoal of Nan- 
tucket, the brig Three Partners, from Jamaica for 
St. John — had been robbed, off Cape Antonio, by 
a piratical vessel, of about 35 tons, and 17 men, of 
clothing, watches, &c. and the captain was hung up 
by the neck to the fore-yard arm, till he was almost 
dead. 

Capt. Bourn, who arrived yesterday, from Cape 
Haytien, spoke on the 26th ult. lat. 33, Ion. 78, brig 
Sea Lion, 36 days from Cape Haytien for Belfast, 
Ireland, which had been plundered by a pirate in 
the Gulf. 

The brig Harriet, Capt. Dimond, from St. Jago de 
Cuba for Baltimore, arrived at Havana on the 16th 
ult. having been robbed of all her cargo of sugar, 
and $4000 in specie, off Cape Antonio, by a boat with 
15 men, having two schooners in co. Capt. D. was 
hung up by the neck, and remained senseless for 
some time after he was taken down. 

The Dutch brig Mercury, 77 days from Marseilles, 
arrived at Havana on the 16th ult. after having been 
robbed of $10,000 worth of her cargo, by a piratical 
schooner and boat, off Cape Antonio. 

Fortunately a U. S. vessel has arrived at the scene 
of these daring robberies, and has already protected 
two fleets. It is to be hoped some of the villains 
who have so long preyed with impunity on mercan- 
tile property, and been guilty of the most savage 
acts, will speedily be caught and brought to justice. 



260 PIRACIES IN THE 



U. S. BRIG SPARK, 



A letter from a gentleman belonging to this vessel, 
dated St. Barts, Nov. 3, 1821, says — 

"We arrived here, after a rather rough passage, 
in eighteen days from Boston, all well. We expect 
to sail again in two or three days. We found here 
the piratical ship which robbed the Orleans Packet. 
She is now in possession of the Swedish govern- 
ment. She came into their possession in the fol- 
lowing manner : — The crew landed her cargo on a 
small island near this, from whence it was taken by 
a schooner to St. Thomas ;— they then run the ship 
into Five Island Harbour, where all the crew, ex- 
cept two men, deserted her. — The government 
hearing of her being there, sent a guard and took 
possession of her, brought her into this harbour, and 
confined the two men found in her as pirates. — It is 
said, Capt. Elton has requested the Governor to al- 
low him to take them to the United States for trial 
This piratical ship was originally the U. S. brig Pro- 
metheus, which was condemned two years since, 
and was then sold." 

A letter from on board the Hornet, dated at Cape 
Maise, 31st. October, says, " The pirate which we 
took yesterday mounted two long four pounders, 
and her crew consisted of twenty gallows-looking 
scoundrels." — After the capture of the Hornet, spoke 
three merchant brigs, which probably would have 
fallen into the hands of the pirates ; — and were very 
happy at their escape. 



WEST-INDIES. 261 

Piratical Forts.— Capt. Sisson, from Havana, re- 
ports, that seventy of the Pirates belonging to the 
vessels captured and destroyed by the Enterprize, 
have erected two forts on Cape Antonio, for their 
defence. 



From the American Monthly Magazine, of Feb. 1824. 
PIRACY, 



In the early part of June I sailed from Philadel- 
phia in the schooner Mary, on a voyage to New-Or- 
leans. My principal object in going round by sea 
was the restoration of my health, which had been 
for many months declining. Having some friends 
in New-Orleans whose commercial operations were 
conducted on an extensive scale, I was charged 
with the care of several sums of money in gold and 
silver, amounting altogether to nearly eighteen 
thousand dollars. This I communicated to the cap- 
tain, and we concluded to secure it in the best man- 
ner our circumstances would admit. A plank was 
accordingly taken off the ribs of the schooner in my 
own cabin, and the money being deposited in the 
vacancy, the plank was nailed down in its original 
place, and the seams filled and tarred over. Being 
thus relieved from any apprehension that the money 
would be found upon us in case of an attack from 
pirates, my mind was somewhat easier. What other 
articles of value I could conveniently carry about 
with me, I did so. I had also brought a quantity of 
bank notes to the amount of fifteen thousand dollars. 
Part of these I caused to be carefully sewed in the 
left lappel of my coat, supposing that in case of my 
being lost at sea, my coat, should my body be found, 



262 PIRACIES IN THE 

would still contain the most valuable of my effects. 
The balance was carefully quilted into my black 
silk cravat. 

Our crew consisted of the Captain and four men, 
with a supply of live stock for the voyage, and a 
Newfoundland dog, valuable for his fidelity and sa- 
gacity. He had once saved his master from a 
watery grave, when he had been stunned and 
knocked overboard by the sudden shifting of the 
boom. I was the only passenger on board. Our 
voyage at first was prosperous, and time went on 
rapidly. I felt my strength increase the longer I 
was at sea, and when we arrived off the southern 
coast of Florida, my feelings were like those of ano- 
ther man. 

It was towards the evening of the fourteenth day, 
two hours before sun-set, that we espied a sail astern 
of us. As twilight came, it neared us with astonish- 
ing rapidity. Night closed, and all around was im- 
penetrable darkness. Now and then a gentle wave 
would break against our bow and sparkle for a mo- 
ment, and at a distance behind us, we could see the 
uneven glow of light, occasioned by the foaming of 
the strange vessel. The breeze that filled our can- 
vass was gentle, though it was fresh. 

We coursed our way steadily through the night ; 
though once or twice the roaring of the waves in- 
creased so suddenly, as to make us believe we had 
passed a breaker. At the time it was unaccount- 
able to me, but I now believe it to be occasioned 
by the bark behind us, coming rather near in the 
darkness of the night. — At midnight I went on deck. 
Nothing but an occasional sparkle was to be seen, 
and the ocean was undisturbed. Still it was a fear- 
ful and appalling darkness, and in spite of my en- 
deavours I could not compose myself. At the wind- 
lass, on the forecastle, three of the sailors, like my- 
self, unable to sleep had collected for conversation. 



WEBT-INDTES. 263 

On joining them, I found our fears were mutual. 
They all kept their eyes steadily fixed upon the un- 
known vessel, as if anticipating some dreadful event. 
They informed me that they had put their arms in 
order and were determined to stand or die. 

At this moment a flash of light, perhaps a musket 
burning priming, proceeded from the vessel in pur- 
suit, and we saw distinctly that her deck was co- 
vered with men. My heart almost failed me. I had 
never been in battle, and I knew not what it was. 
Day at length dawned, and setting all her canvass, 
our pursuer gained alarmingly upon us. It was 
evident that she had followed us the whole night, 
being unwilling to attack us in the dark. — In a few 
minutes, she fired a swivel and came along side. She 
was a pirate. Her boat was lowered, and about a 
dozed hideous looking objects jumped in, with a 
commander at their head. The boat pushed off, and 
was nearing us fast, as we arranged ourselves for 
giving her a broadside. Our whole stock of arms 
consisted of six muskets and an old swivel used as 
a signal gun, belonging to the Mary, and a pair of 
pistols of my own, which I carried in my belt. The 
pirate boat's crew were armed with muskets, pistols, 
swords, cutlasses, and knives ; and when she came 
within her own length of us, we fired five of our 
muskets and the swivel into her. Her fire was 
scarcely half given, when she filled and went down 
with all her crew. At this success we were inclined 
to rejoice, but looking over the pirate schooner, we 
observed her deck still swarming with the same 
description of horrid looking wretches. A second 
boat's crew pushed off, with their muskets pointed 
directly at us the whole time. When they came 
within the same distance as the other, we fired, but 
with little, if any effect. The pirate immediately re- 
turned the fire, and with horrid cries jumped aboard 
of us. Two of our brave crew were lying dead upon 



204 PIRACIES IN THE 

the deck, and the rest of us expected nothing bet- 
ter. French, Spanish, and English, were spoken 
indiscriminately, and all at once. The most horrid 
imprecations were uttered against us, and threats 
that fancy cannot imagine. 

A wretch whose black, shaggy whiskers covered 
nearly his whole face, whose eyes were only seen at 
intervals from beneath his bushy eye-brows, and 
whose whole appearance was more that of a hell- 
hound than of a human being, approached me with 
a drawn cutlass in his hand. I drew one of my pis- 
tols and snapped it in his face ; but it flashed in the 
pan, and before I could draw the other, the pirate, 
with a brutality that would have disgraced a can- 
nible, struck me over the face with his cutlass, and 
knocked me down. I was too much wounded by 
the blow to resist, and the blood ran in torrents 
from my forehead. In this situation the wretch 
seized me by the scalp, and thrusting his cutlass in 
my cravat, cut it through completely. I felt the cold 
iron glide along my throat, and even now the very 
thought makes me shudder. The worst idea I had 
ever formed of human cruelty seemed now realized, 
and I could see death stare me in the face. With- 
out stopping, to examine the cravat, he put it in his 
pocket, and in a voice of thunder exclaimed " levez 
vous ?" I accordingly rose on my feet, and he pinion- 
ed my hands behind my back, led me to the gun- 
wale of the vessel, and asked another of the gang, 
in French, whether he should throw me overboard. 
At the recollection of that scene I am still staggered. 
I endeavoured to call the prospects of eternity be- 
fore me, but could think of nothing except the cold 
and quiverless apathy of the tomb. His infamous 
companion replied, " II est trop bonne hetire Ven- 
voyer au diable" and led me to the foremast, where 
he tied me with my face to the stern of the vessel. 
The cords were drawn so tight around my arms 



WEST-INDIES 



265 



and legs, that my agony was excruciating. In this 
situation he left me. 

On looking round, I found them all employed in 
plundering and ransacking every thing we had. 
Over my left shoulder one of our sailors was strung 
up to the yard arm, and apparently in the last ago- 
nies of death ; while before me our gallant Captain 
was on his knees and begging for his life. The 
wretches were endeavouring to extort from him the 
secret of our money ; but for a while he was firm 
and dauntless. Provoked at his obstinacy, they 
extended his arms and cut them off at the elbows. 
At this, human nature gave way, and the injured 
man confessed the spot where we had concealed 
our specie. — In a few moments it was aboard their 
own vessel. To revenge themselves on our un- 
happy captain, when they had satisfied themselves 
that nothing else was hidden, they spread a bed of 
oakum on the deck before, and after soaking it 
through with turpentine, tied the captain on it, filled 
his mouth with the same combustibles, and set the 
whole on fire. The cries of the unfortunate man were 
heart-rending, and his agonies must have been 
unutterable ; but they were soon over. All this I 
was compelled to witness. Heart-sick with the 
sight, I once shut my eyes, but a musket discharged 
close to my ear, was a warning sufficient to keep 
them open. 

On casting my eyes to the stern of the vessel, I 
discovered that the boatswain had been nailed to 
the deck through his feet, and the body spiked 
through to the tiller. He was writhing in the last 
agonies of crucifixion. — Our fifth comrade was out 
of sight during all this tragedy ; in a few minutes, 
however, he was brought uponthe deck blindfolded, 
lie was then conducted to the muzzle of the swivel, 
commanded to kneel. The swivel was then 
fired off, and his head was dreadfully wounded by 






296 KRACIE8 IN THE 

the discharge. In a moment after, it was agonizing 
to behold his torments and convulsions — language 
is too feeble to describe them. I have seen men 
hung upon the gibbet, but their death is like sinking 
in slumber when compared with his. 

Excited with the scene of human butchery, one 
of those wretches fired his pistol to the captain's 
dog. The ball struck his shoulder and disabled 
him-; he finished him by shooting him again, and at 
last by cutting out his tongue ! At this last hell- 
engendered act, my blood boiled with indignation 
at such savage brutality on a helpless, inoffensive 
dog ! But I was unable to give utterance or action 
to my feelings. 

Seeing that the crew had been every one des- 
patched, I began to think more of myself. My old 
enemy, who seemed to forget me, once more ap- 
proached me ; but shockingly besmeared with blood 
and brains. He had stood by the side of the unfor- 
tunate sailor who suffered before the swivel, and 
supported him with the point of his bayonet. He 
drew a stiletto from his side, placed its point upon 
my heart and gave it a heavy thrust. I felt its 
point touch my skin ; but the quilting of my bank 
bills prevented its further entrance. This savage 
monster then ran it up my breast, as if intending 
to divide my lungs, and in doing so, the bank bills 
fell upon the deck. He snatched them up greedily, 
and exclaimed, " Ah ! laissez mois voir ce que 
reste." My dress in a few moments, was ripped to 
pieces at the peril of my life. He frequently came 
so near as to tear my skin and deluge me with 
blood ; but by the mercy of Providence, I escaped 
from every danger. — At this moment a heavy flaw 
struck the schooner, and I heard one of the pirates 
say, cc Voila un vaisseau !" They all retreated pre- 
cipitately, and gaining their own vessel, was soon 
put of sight. 



WEST-INDIES. 267 

Helpless as I now was, I had the satisfaction of 
knowing that the pirates had been frightened by 
the appearance of a sail, but it was impossible for 
me to see it. Still tied to the foremast, I knew not 
what was my prospect of release. — An hour or two 
had elapsed after they left me ; and it was now 
noon. The sun played violently upon my head, and 
I felt a languor and debility that indicated approach- 
ing fever. My head gradually sunk upon my breast, 
when I was shocked by hearing the water pouring 
into the cabin windows. The wretches had scuttled 
the vessel, and left me pinioned to go down with 
her, I commended my Spirit to my Maker, and 
gave myself up for lost. I felt myself gradually 
dying away, and the last thing I remembered was 
the foaming noise of the waves. This was occa- 
sioned by a ship passing by me. I was taken in, 
restored to health, and am now a poor, ruined, help- 
less man. 



The ship Liverpool Packet, Ricker, of Portsmouth, 
N. H. was boarded on the 16th off Cape St. Antonio, 
Cuba, by two piratical schooners ; two barges con- 
taining thirty or forty men, robbed the vessel of 
every thing moveable, even to her flags, rigging, 
one boat which happened to be afloat, and having a 
boy in it which belonged to the ship. They held 
a consultation whether the v should murder the crew, 
as they had done before, or not — in the mean time 
taking the ship into anchoring ground. On bring- 
ing her to anchor, the crew saw a brig close along 
side, burnt to the water's edge, and three dead bo- 



269 PIRACIES IN THE 

dies floating near her. — The pirates said they had 
burnt the brig the day before, and murdered all 
the crew ! — and intended doing the same with them. 
They said "look at the turtles, (meaning the dead 
bodies) you will soon be the same." They said 
the vessel was a Baltimore brig, which they had 
robbed and burnt, and murdered the crew as before 
stated, of which they had little doubt. — Capt. Ricker 
was most shockingly bruised by them. The mate 
was hung till he was supposed to be dead, but came 
to, and is now alive. They told the captain that 
they belonged in Regla, and should kill them all to 
prevent discovery. 



BRIG DOVEK. 



Extract from the Log-Book of the brig Dover, Capt. 
Sabins, from Matanzasfor Charleston, 

Jan. 16, 1822, sea account, at 1 P. M. — Pan of 
Matanzas bearing S. saw a boat coming to us from 
a small drogher, which came out of Matanzas the 
night before us, with five Spaniards, armed with 
long knives, pistols, cutlasses, &c. When they got 
within hail, they fired a musket at us, cheered, and 
came on board. They were the most villanous 
looking rascals that any one had probably ever be- 
held. They immediately drew their weapons, and 
after beating us severely with their cutlasses, drove 
us below. They then robbed us of all our clothes 
except what we had on, our watches, and every 
thing of value. We were afterwards called up sin- 
gly. Four men with drawn knives stood over the 



WEST-INDIES. 269 

captain, and threatened him if he did not give up 
his money, they would kill all hands and burn the 
vessel. After robbing the people they commenced 
plundering the brig. They broke open the hatches, 
made us get out our boat and carry their plunder 
to their vessel They took from us one compass, 
five bags coffee, one barrel sugar, nearly all our pro- 
visions, our colours, rigging, and cooking utensils. 
They then ordered us to stand to the north, or they 
would overhaul us, murder the crew and burn the 
vessel. We made sail, and shortly after were brought 
to by another boat of the same character, which fired 
into us, but left us upon being informed that we had 
been already robbed. 



The Porpoise, Capt. Ramage-, arrived at Charles- 
ton from his successful cruise against the Pirates, 
having recaptured a Baltimore schooner which had 
be§n in their possession three days, destroyed three 
of their establishments onshore, 12 of their vessels, 
besides two on the stocks, and brought in four pri- 
soners, against whom it is supposed there is strong 
evidence. 

It is stated, that a Pirate Captain and liis mate 
quarrelled on the question of putting to death all 
captives, — they fought a duel with muskets, the 
Captain was killed, and the Mate (who was the 
advocate of mercy) succeeded to the command. 

The schooner Jane, of Boston, was taken the 24tli 
Jan. by a pirate schooner. — They were carried into 
a place where were three more of the same trade- — 

23* 



270 PIRACIES IN THE 

The captain and crew were threatened, beat, and 
the vessel plundered of much property ; after which 
they were released. 

. If the Spanish Government is unable to drive the 
Pirates from their strong holds in Cuba, the Balti- 
more Chronicle suggests the necessity of occupying 
the island with American forces for that purpose, as 
robbers and pirates have a right to enjoy no protec- 
tion whatever ; and in this case all civilized powers 
are warranted in carrying the war into the enemy's 
territory. 



PIRATES CAPTURED. 



Charleston, Feb. 12. — The four pirates brought 
into this port by the United States Porpoise, were 
landed yesterday from that vessel, and committed 
to prison. Three of them are Spaniards, the other 
a Portuguese ; two of the former father and son, 
the son being only about 18 years of age. 

Charleston, Feb. 14, 1824.— The United States 
schooner Grampus, Lieut. Gregory, from a cruise 
of 4 months in the West-Indies and along the Spa- 
nish Main, arrived at our port yesterday morning, 
last from Santa Martha. She has brought in three 
Pirates, viz. James Maxfield, one of the crew that 
robbed the Orleans, of Philadelphia, and Charles 
Owens and James Ross, who robbed a Portsmouth 
schooner of $2600 in the Bite of Leogane. One of 
these daring freebooters was delivered up to Lieut. 
C. by the Governor of St. Barts, and the other two 



WEST-INDIES. 971 

by the President of Hayti, for trial by the United 
States. The G. has boarded several privateers 
during her cruise, and traversed a space of 9000 
miles, spreading terror among those wretches 
whose impotence is equal to their atrocity, and who 
only require active pursuit to frighten them out of 
visible existence. 

Mobile, Jane 1, 1822. — Capt. Carter of the schr. 
Swan, arrived yesterday from Havana, reports that 
on his outward passage from this port, on the 27th 
ult. at 8 o'clock, A, M. being then within 30 miles 
from Havana, he was boarded by an open boat from 
the shore, manned with nine men, who all appeared 
to be Spanish, armed with muskets, pistols, cut- 
lasses, and knives, who plundered the vessel of 
every thing they could carry off. They also robbed 
the captain and crew of their clothing, even strip- 
ping the jackets from their backs, and the shoes 
from their feet. 

The villains would not even spare the property oi 
a Spanish Priest, passenger on board, but they rob- 
bed him also of his clothes, money, and plate, the 
value of 800 dollars ; they however afterwards, re- 
turned his gown. 

A sail heaving in sight, they left the schooner 
with orders to steer E. N. E. and not go over three 
leagues from shore, under pain of death. From 
their conversation while on board, it appeared that 
they intended to board the schooner again in the 
evening, run her ashore and burn her, but she es- 
caped by the darkness of the night. 



272 PIRACIES IN THE 



LIEXJT. ALLEN'S VICTORY AND DEATH, 



Extract of a letter from Matanzas, dated November 

11, 1822. 

"•The gallant ALLEN is no more ! — You witness- 
ed the promptiftide with which he hastened to relieve 
the vessels which I informed him had been captured 
off this port He arrived just in time to save five 
sail of vessels which he found in possession of a 
gang of pirates, 300 strong, established in the Bay 
of Lejuapo, about 15 leagues east of this. He fell, 
pierced by two musket balls, in the van of a divi- 
sion of boats, attacking their principal vessel, a fine 
schooner of about eighty tons, with a long eighteen 
pounder on a pivot, and four smaller guns, with the 
bloody flag nailed to the mast. Himself, Capt. 
Freeman of Marines, and twelve men, were in the 
boat, much in advance of his other boats, and even 
took possession of the schooner, after a desperate 
resistance, which nothing but a bravery almost too 
daring could have overcome. The pirates, all but 
one, escaped by taking to their boats and jumping 
overboard, before the Alligator's boats reached them. 
Two other schooners escaped by the use of their 
oars, the wind being light. 

Capt. Allen survived about four hours, during 
which his conversation evinced a composure and 
firmness of mind, and correctness of feeling, as 
honourable to his character, and more consoling to 
his friends than even the dauntless bravery he 
before exhibited. 5 ' 

The Surgeon of the Alligator in a letter to a 
friend, says, " He continued giving orders and con- 



WEST-INDIES, 278 

* 

versing with Mr. Dale and the rest of us, until a 
few minutes before his^ death, with a degree of 
cheerfulness that was little to be expected from a 
man in his condition. He said he wished his rela- 
tives and his country to know r that he had fought 
well, and added that he died in peace and good will 
towards all the w r orld, and hoped for his reward in 
the next." 

Lieut. Allen had but few equals in the service. 
He was ardently devoted to the interest of his 
country, was brave, intelligent, and accomplished in 
his profession. He displayed, living and dying, a 
magnanimity that sheds lustre on his relatives, his 
friends, and his country. - 



PIRATES ENTRAPPED. 



The British schooner Speedwell arrived at Nas- 
sau N. P. in November, bringing in 18 pirates, who 
had been captured by the Speedwell and her con- 
sort. The schooner had been disguised as a mer- 
chantman, and the pirates, taking her to be an easy 
prize, came carelessly along side of her, for the 
purpose of boarding, when she gave them a hot fire, 
and threw them into confusion. Many jumped over- 
board and were drowned ; and with these and the 
killed, the loss of the pirates was about 15 or 16. 
The remainder of them, 18 in number, were taken 
prisoners and carried into Nassau. 



374 PIRACIES IK THK 



SAILING OF COMMODORE PORTER. 



BALTIMORE, JAN. 17, 1823. 

Yesterday Commodore PORTER left this port 
in the steam galley Enterprize, to join the squadron 
fitted out at Norfolk, for the purpose of suppressing 
piracy on the coast of Cuba. Every friend of hu- 
manity must wish that the efforts of the distinguish- 
ed officer who has been selected to this command 
will be crowned with success. The means adopted 
are certainly the best calculated to effect the object 
Frigates and sloops of war are totally inadequate, 
by means of their great draft of water ; but the ves- 
sels which have been selected by Commodore Por- 
ter, are precisely calculated to ferret the banditti 
from their lurking places. The aid of steam we 
think a most valuable addition to the squadron, and 
from the manner in which the Enterprize has been 
fitted out, we have every reason to believe she 
will completely answer the expectations formed. 
Commodore Porter has been indefatigable since 
he came here, and several of our citizens conver- 
sant in steam affairs, volunteered their services to 
aid him in the necessary equipments for that depart- 
ment. We learn that she is provided with dupli- 
cates of every piece of machinery which might be 
carried away in action, and that able and experi- 
enced engineers were also procured for her. 

In a very short time we hope to hear of the 
Commodore's arrival at his cruising ground, and we 
doubt not he will soon put an end to the ravages of 
those lawless barbarians. 



wsftr-iNDift*. 275 



EXECUTION OF THE PIRATES. 



Ten of the pirates captured by the British sloop 
of War Tvne, were executed at Kingston, Jamaica, 
on Friday, the 7th of February, 1823. 

About a quarter of an hour before day dawn, the 
wretched culprits were taken from the jail, under a 
guard of soldiers from the 50th regiment, and the 
City Guard. On their arrival at the wherry wharf, 
the military retired, and the prisoners, with the 
Town Guard were put on board two wherries, in 
which they proceeded to Port Royal Point, the usual 
ptace of execution in similar cases. They were 
there met by a strong party of military, consisting 
of 50 men, under command of an officer. They 
formed themselves into a square round the place of 
execution, with the Sheriff and his officers with the 
prisoners in the centre. The gallows was of consi- 
derable length, and contrived with a drop so as to 
prevent the unpleasant circumstances which fre- 
quently occur. 

The unfortunate men had been in continual prayer 
from the time they were awakened out of a deep 
sleep till they arrived at that place, where they were 
to close their existence. 

They all expressed their gratitude for the attention 
they had met with from the Sheriff and the inferior 
officers. Many pressed the hands of the turnkey to 
their lips, others to their hearts, and, on their knees, 
prayed that God, Jesus Christ, and the Virgin Mary, 
would bless him and the other jailers for their good- 
ness. They all then fervently joined in prayer. To 
the astonishment of all, no clerical character, of any 
persuasion, was present. They repeatedly called 



2?6 PIRACIES IN ?HE 

out, "Adonde esta el padre," (Where is the holy 
father.) 

Juan Hernandez called on all persons present to 
hear him — he was innocent ; what they had said 
about his confessing himself guilty was untrue. He 
had admitted himself guilty, because he hoped for 
pardon ; but that now he was to die, he called God, 
Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, the Virgin Mary, and 
the Saints, to witness that he spoke truth — that he 
was no pirate, no murderer — he had been forced. 
The Lieutenant of the pirates was a wretch, who did 
not fear God, and had compelled him to act. 

Juan Gutterez and Francisco de Sayas were loud 
in their protestations of innocence. 

Manuel Lima said, for himself, he did not care ; 
he felt for the old man (Miguel Jose.) How could 
he be a pirate who could not help himself? If it 
were a Christian country, they would have pardoned 
him for his gray hairs. He was innocent — they had 
both been forced. Let none of his friends and rela- 
tions ever venture to sea — he hoped his death would 
be a warning to them, that the innocent might suf- 
fer for the guilty. The language of this young man 
marked him a superior to the generality of his com- 
panions in misfortune. The seamen of the Whim 
stated that he was very kind to them when prisoners 
on board the piratical vessel. Just before he was 
turned off, he addressed the old man — " Adios viejo, 
para siempre adios." — (Farewell, old man, for ever 
farewell.) 

Several of the prisoners cried out for mercy, par- 
don, pardon. 

Domingo Eucalla, the black man, then addressed 
them. " Do not look for mercy here, but pray to 
God ; we are all brought here to die. This is not 
built for nothing ; here we must end our lives. You 
know I am innocent, but I must die the same aa 
you all. There is not any body here who can do us 



WEST-INDIES. 



2>7 



any good, so let us think only of God Almighty. We 
are not children but men, you know that all must 
die ; and in a few years those who kill us must die 
too. When I was born, God set the way of my 
death ; I do not blame any body. I was taken by 
the pirates, and they made me help them ; they 
would not let me be idle. I could not show that this 
was the truth, and therefore they have judged me 
by the people they have found me with. I am put 
to death unjustly, but I blame nobody. It was my 
misfortune. Come, let us pray. If we are innocent, 
so much the less we have to repent. I do not come 
here to accuse any one. Death must come one day 
or other ; better to the innocent than guilty. 55 He 
then joined in prayer with the others. He seemed 
to be much reverenced by his fellow prisoners. He 
chose those prayers he thought most adapted to the 
occasion. Hundreds were witnesses to the manly 
firmness of this negro. Observing a bystander list- 
ening attentively to the complaints of one of his fel- 
low wretches, he translated what had been said into 
English. With a steady pace, and a resolute and 
resigned countenance, he ascended the fatal scaf- 
fold. Observing the executioner unable to untie a 
knot on the collar of one of the prisoners, he with 
his teeth undid it. He then prayed most ferve^% 
till the drop fell. 

Miguel Jose protested his innocence.—" No -he 
robado, no he matado ningune, muero innocenie." 
— (I have robbed no one, I have killed no one, I die 
innocent. I am an old man, but my family will feel 
my disgraceful death.) 

Francisco Miguel prayed devoutly, but maudibly. 
His soul seemed to have quitted the body before he 
was executed. 

Breti Gullimillit called on all to witness his inno- 
cence ; it was of no use for him to say an untruth, 
for he was going before the face of God. 

■■24 



5878 PIRACIES IN THE 

Augustus Hernandez repeatedly declared his in- 
nocence, requested that no one would say he had 
made a confession ; he had none to make. 

Juan Hernandez was rather obstinate when the 
executioner pulled the cap over his eyes. He said, 
rather passionately — " Quita is de mis ojos." — (Re- 
move it from my eyes.) He then rubbed it up 
against one of the posts of the gallows. 

Miguel Jose made the same complaint, and drew 
the covering from his eyes by rubbing his head 
against a fellow sufferer. 

Pedro Nondre was loud in his ejaculations for 
mercy. He wept bitterly. He was covered with 
the marks of deep wounds. 

The whole of the ten, included in the death war- 
rant, having been placed on the scaffold, and the 
ropes suspended, the drop was let down. Nondre 
being an immense heavy man, broke the rope, and 
fell to the ground alive. Juan Hernandez struggled 
long. Lima was much convulsed. The old man 
Gullimillit, and Miguel, were apparently dead before 
the drop fell. Eucalla (the black man) gave one 
convulsion, and all was over. 

When. Nondre recovered from the fall and saw 
his nine lifeless companions stretched in death, he 
gave an agonizing shriek; he wrung his hands, 
screamed " Favor, favor, me matan sin causa. O ! 
buenos Christianos, me amparen, ampara me, am- 
para me, no hay Christiano en asta, tiara?" (Mercy, 
mercy, they kill me without cause— Oh, good Chris- 
tians, protect me, protect me, Oh, protect me. Is 
there no Christian in this land.) 

He then lifted his eyes to Heaven, and prayed 
long and loud. Upon being again suspended, he 
was for a long period convulsed. He was an im- 
mense powerful man, and died hard. 



WBST-IjfBXBS. 37* 



PIRATES CAPTURED, 



The famous pirate, La Cata, was captured, off the 
Isle of Pines, about the 1st of March, 1823, by the 
British cutter Grecian, after a smart action. The 
cutter had 50 men— the pirate 100, and 8 guns ; it 
was believed that about 30 of the crew of the latter 
were killed, but only three prisoners were made* 
the rest making their escape on shore. Courier- 
able quantities of goods were found xm ^oard the 

prize. 

The Grecian conveyed the prisoners to Jamaica., 
where, it seems, there is more law to reach cases 
of piracy than in the United States. 



LAFITTE, THE NOTED PIRATE, KILLED, 



A British sloop of war fell in with and captured a 
piratical vessel with a crew of sixty men, under com- 
mand of the famous Lafitte. He hoisted the 
bloody flag and refused quarter, and fought until 
nearly every man was killed or wounded — Lafitte 
being among the former. 

The schooner Pilot, of Norfolk, was captured 
by the pirates off Matanzas, and her crew much 
abused; but they were put ashore, and the wretches 
went on a cruize in the prize, and captured and 



280 PIRACIES IN THE 

robbed two vessels, within two miles of the Moro 
castle, Havana. A few days after, the U. S. schoon- 
er Jackall fell in with her and made a re-eapture, 
securing, however, only one of the pirates; but 
several of them were killed in the action, fighting 
desperately. Several captures were made about 
the same time by Com. Porter's squadron, which 
w«s actively employed. 



BATTLE WITH THE PIRATES* 



Almost every day furnished accounts evincing the 
activity of Commodore Porter, and the officers and 
men under his command; but for a long time their 
industry and zeal was rather shown in the suppres- 
sion of piracy than the punishment of it. At length, 
however, an opportunity offered for inflicting the 
latter, as detailed in the following letter, dated Ma- 
tanzas, July 10, 1823. 

" I have the pleasure of informing you of a bril- 
liant achievement obtained against the pirates on 
the 5th inst. by two barges attached to Commodore 
Porter's squadron, the Gallinipper, Lieut. Watson, 
18 men, and the Musquito, Lieut. Inman, 10 men. 
The barges were returning from a cruise to wind- 
ward ; when they were near Jiguapa Bay ,13 leagues 
to windward of Matanzas, they entered it — it being 
a rendezvous for pirates. They immediately dis- 
covered a large schooner under way, which they 
supposed to be a Patriot privateer; and as their 



WEST-INDIES. &8* 

stores were nearly exhausted, they hoped to obtain 
some supplies from her. They therefore made sail 
in pursuit. When they were within cannon shot- 
distance, she rounded to and fired her ^ong gun, at 
the same time run up the bloody flag, directing her 
course towards the shore, continuing to fire without 
effect. When she had got within a short distance 
of the shore, she came to, with springs on her cable, 
continuing to fire ; and when the barges were within 
30 yards, they fired their muskets without touching 
boat or man ; our men gave three cheers, and pre- 
pared to board ; the pirates, discovering their inten- 
tion, jumped into the water, when the bargemen, 
calling on the name of " Allen," commenced a 
destructive slaughter, killing them in the water and 
as they landed. So exasperated were our men, that 
it was impossible for their officers to restrain them, 
and many were killed after orders were given to 
grant quarter. Twenty-seven dead were counted, 
some sunk, five taken prisoners by the bargemen, 
and eight taken by a party of Spaniards on shore. 
The officers calculated that from 30 to 35 were 
killed. The schooner mounted a long nine pounder 
on a pivot, and 4 four pounders, with every other 
necessary armament, and a crew of 50 to 60 men, 
and ought to have blown the barges to atoms. She 
was commanded by the notorious Diableto or Little 
Devil. This statement I have from Lieut. Watson 
himself,'and it is certainly the most decisive opera- 
tion that has been effected against those murderers, 
either by the English or American force. 

"This affair occurred on the same spot where the 
brave Allen fell about one year since. The prize 
was sent to Thompson's Island." 

A British sloop of war, about the same time, cap- 
tured a pirate schooner off St. Domingo, with a crew 
of 60 men. She had 200,000 dollars in specie, and 

24* 



282 PIRACIES IN THE 

other valuable articles on board. The brig Vestal 
sent another pirate schooner to New-Providence. 



CAPTURE OF A PIRATICAL STATION IN CUBA- 



The U. S. schooners of war Greyhound and Bea- 
gle left Thompson's Island, June 7, 1823, under the 
command of Lieuts. Kearney and Newton, and 
cruised within the Keys, on the south side of Cuba, 
as far as Cape Cruz, touching at all the intermediate 
ports on the island, to intercept pirates. On the 21st 
July, they came to anchor off Cape Cruz, and Lieut. 
Kearney went in his boat to reconnoitre the shore, 
when he was fired on by a party of pirates who 
were concealed among the bushes. A fire was also 
opened from several pieces of cannon erected on a 
hill, a short distance off. The boat returned, and 
five or six others were manned from the vessels, and 
pushed off for the shore, but a very heavy cannon- 
ade being kept up by the pirates on the heights, as 
well as from the boats were compelled to retreat 
The two schooners were then warped in, when they 
discharged several broadsides, and covered the land- 
ing of the boats. After a short time the pirates re- 
treated to a hill that was well fortified. A small 
v hamlet, in which the pirates resided was set fire to 
v * and destroyed. Three guns, one a four pounder, 
and two large swivels, with several pistols, cutlasses, 
and eight large boats, were captured. A cave, 
abaut 150 feet deep, was discovered, near where 
the houses were, and after considerable difficulty, a 
party of seamen got to the bottom, where was found 



West-indies. S83 

an immense quantity of plunder, consisting of broad- 
cloths, dry goods, female dresses, saddlery, &c. 
Many human bones were also in the cave, supposed 
to have been unfortunate persons who were taken 
and put to death. A great deal of the articles were 
brought away, and th9 rest destroyed. About forty 
pirates escaped to the heights, but many were sup- 
posed to have been killed, from the fire of the 
schooners, as well as from the men who landed. 
The bushes were so thick that it was impossible to 
go after them. Several other caves are in the neigh- 
bourhood, in which it was conjectured they occasion- 
ally take shelter. 



PIRATES TAKEN AND EXECUTED, 



A piratical vessel, and her crew of thirty-eight 
men were captured off Matanzas on the 16th May, 
1825, by a British cutter and a steamboat fitted out 
at that place. Several of the pirates were killed, 
and the rest sent to Havana for trial. It was ascer- 
tained that some of them had assisted in capturing 
more than twenty American vessels, whose crews 
were murdered! ! 

An additional gang of pirates was hung at the 
same period, at Porto Rico — Eleven at once. 



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